Here Without You, Miley
by AlvinFan07
Summary: Lilly had it all. She and Miley had been dating for 2 years and she couldn't have asked for a better life. But one night Lilly and the others are struck with a tragedy that will change their lives forever. LILEY!
1. First Day of the Rest of Our Lives

**Hey everyone! It's me again, with a new story :-) I've been dying to write this story for so long and I finally got around to doing so. I'm really excited about this story and nervous at the same time. Cos as you see, its a tragedy... So, hopefully you all will read it anyways :-) Please? lol JK you dont have to if you really, really dont like these types of stories. But, I do hope that many of you who have read my other stories will read and review this one as well. Cos like I said, I am excited about it.  
I do give a fair warning tho... This isn't going to be a happy story. At all. So all I can do is hope you read, review, and enjoy it dispite what its gonna be about. Thanks for checking this out tho, and thanks to everyone who has reviewed my other stories. And yes, I am still working on "_This Is The Life_".. I'd never leave that behind :-) Anyways, Enjoy!**

Chapter 1- First Day of the Rest of Our Lives

The sound of the doorbell ran throughout the Truscott home on a bright Monday morning. Heather looked up from over in the kitchen while she was busily making breakfast for her daughter. "Coming!" She answered before setting the finished pancakes onto a large serving plate. Quickly, Heather walked over to the front door, opened it, and smiled when she saw who it was. "Well hello, Miley. You're here early." She stepped aside to let the young woman in.

"Lilly text me earlier asking if I could come over for breakfast. I hope you don't mind," Miley asked, a sense of uncertainty in her voice.

"Oh of course I don't mind. You're always welcome here no matter what. Plus, now that you're here, maybe Lilly will finally get her butt down here." After sharing a laugh with Miley, Heather walked over to the bottom of the staircase. "Lilly! Miley's here! Hurry up so you have time to eat before school!"

"I'll be down in two seconds!" Lilly hollered down from her room. Miley smiled, rolling her eyes, as she sat down at the kitchen table. She knew all too well that it would be much longer than two seconds.

A couple of minutes later, Lilly Truscott came bounding down the stairs with a smile on her face. Her smile broadened when she saw her girlfriend sitting at the dining room table talking with her mother. "Hey, Miley," She said sweetly.

Miley grinned when Lilly placed a soft kiss on her cheek and then took a seat next to her. "Hey; so, are you excited for our first day as seniors?" Miley brightly asked.

"Totally," Lilly replied while she dove into the pancakes. "This year is going to be great."

Heather sat down across the table from the girls. "I can't believe my two girls are seniors…"

"Mom," Lilly warned. "Don't start crying. It's not _that _big of a deal."

"It is to me," Heather smiled warmly. "It seems like just yesterday when you stuck your tongue into the light socket and gave yourself the biggest shock of your life."

"Mom!" Lilly blushed furiously. Miley snorted in laughter; almost choking on her strip of bacon.

"Are you telling me that you never told Miley that story? Lilly, you two have been dating for like, two years!" Heather laughed.

"I'm sorry Lilly, but that is both adorable and hilarious," Miley sputtered out, trying to calm her own laughter.

"Thanks _sweetheart_," Lilly smirked. "I never told her because it's humiliating," She continued telling her mother.

Heather swallowed her bit of food and continued smiling at her daughter. "She was bound to find out sooner or later dear."

"Later would have been better," Lilly mumbled, poking at her food.

Miley turned to her girlfriend, "Come on, Lilly, it's not like I'll make fun of you all the time because of it. How old were you when you did that?"

"I was like, one or two or something like that…" Lilly continued blushing. "Eat your breakfast." All three of them smiled and finished up their breakfast. Soon enough, the girls were done and placed their dishes into the sink. "Great breakfast, Mom. We're gonna head out now," Lilly announced.

"Yea," Miley smiled. "Thanks for breakfast."

"Hold on you two," Heather called after them after grabbing her camera from her purse. "I want a picture of you two on the first day of your senior year," She smiled sweetly.

Miley laughed when she noticed Lilly rolling her eyes. "Oh come on, one picture won't kill us."

"Okay, fine," Lilly smiled.

"Thank you, Miley," Heather grinned. Once Lilly and Miley wrapped their arms around each other, faces pressed together, they smiled for the camera which Heather gladly took a picture of. "Alright, now you two can leave. Good luck!" She waved as Lilly opened the front door to leave.

"Bye!" Both girls simultaneously called out, and then hopped into Miley's black Prius. "Senior year, here we come!" Lilly happily shouted.

----------

Miley pulled up into the parking lot at Seaview High; her stereo blasting. She and Lilly sat in the car, singing along to 'Nobody's Perfect' and didn't have a care in the world if anyone else saw them rockin' out in the car. Once the song ended, Miley turned the ignition off, laughing along with her girlfriend. "I told you you're getting better at singing."

"Please," Lilly laughed. "I'm totally a shower singer."

They both got out of the car and Miley walked around to Lilly's side. "You're better than that," She claimed. Miley then linked hands with Lilly and the two walked towards the building.

In no time at all, Lilly and Miley walked into the school and instantly took in the atmosphere. "Wow…" Lilly said softly. "Our last year here at Seaview. It's kind of weird."

"Yea, I know…" Miley agreed as she looked around.

Down the hall, Oliver Oken turned to spot his two best friends; a smile appearing on his face. "Hey guys!" Oliver called out, getting their attention.

"Hey Oliver," Lilly smiled.

"I never got to check classes with you two. Shall we compare?" He smiled sweetly. "Thank you," He said when they both reached into their backpacks for the schedules.

Lilly leaned her head against Oliver's shoulder while Miley's was resting upon hers as all three friends looked over their school schedules. A smile popped onto Lilly's face, "Cool! There are only two classes you don't have with us."

Oliver smiled at his friends. "How did you two manage to get all your classes together?"

"We're just lucky," Miley proudly stated and then placed a kiss on the top of Lilly's head.

"You two are _still _together?" A rude voice spoke from behind them.

Lilly sighed in annoyance, "Yes, Amber. Miley and I are still together."

Amber looked over at her best friend Ashley; the two shared a knowing look. "Personally, Stewart…" Amber said, looking at Miley. "You could do so much better. Whatever happened with Jake?"

"Jake is an ego-maniac pig who only loves himself. That ended a long time ago," Miley snapped. "Can you please just leave us alone for once?"

"Fine," Amber snickered. "I'm just saying… Jake's a much better catch."

"Leave, now!" Oliver yelled at the two snobs.

Right as Amber and Ashley walked away, laughing; the bell rang out signaling the students to head to their first period class. "She is so annoying!" Lilly complained. "That's the only thing I'm not going to miss about this place."

Miley laughed, keeping her arm around Lilly's shoulders. "Ignore them, Lilly. Now come on, let's get to class." With that, the trio headed off to their first class of the year.

-----

Being only a half day of school, the day went by fairly quickly. All the students were informed with the rules they got every single year, new students were announced, books were handed out, and the class syllabus was given out in each class. Over all, the day was quite boring. Quick, but boring.

Miley, Lilly, and Oliver were now sitting in their last class, anxious for the bell to ring. Lilly sat backwards in her seat so she could face Miley while they chatted. Oliver, sitting next to Miley on her right, turned to face his friends. "Hey, are you guys going to the senior kickoff party at the beach later?"

Lilly grinned, "Of course we are. It's going to be one of the biggest parties of the year."

"Exactly," Miley chimed in. "Plus, it's another good reason to see Lilly in her swimsuit." She smiled sweetly at her girlfriend.

"Miles, you've seen me in a swimsuit a thousand times," Lilly chuckled before leaning closer to her. "And you've seen me without anything on a thousand times as well," She whispered; smirking.

Miley felt her face heat up while a smile played out across her face. "Oh I know. That's something I could never, ever forget."

Across from them, Oliver started making gagging noises. Lilly shot a glare over at him. "Stop it, Oliver. We all know you enjoy it when we talk about _that_."

"It was cool at first…" He admitted. Just then, the bell rang out; excusing the students to leave for the day. "So, I'll see you two at the beach then? The party starts at five."

"We'll be there," Lilly smiled, taking Miley's hand in her own. Then, she and Miley went their way to Miley's house to get ready for the big celebration.

-----

A few hours later, the two girls finally had picked out their swimsuits, put them on, and finished gathering things to get ready for the party. Lilly sat on Miley's bed and watched her try to find the perfect pair of sandals to wear. She was so beautiful…

"Hey, Lilly? Which ones should I wear? The black or the blue ones?" She asked, holding one of each pair in her hands for Lilly to see."

Lilly couldn't help but smile. "Maybe the black ones. They're pretty simple."

Miley gave her a knowing look. "You want to wear the blue ones, don't you?"

"Maaaaybe…" Lilly grinned.

Laughing, Miley lightly tossed the blue sandals onto her floor by Lilly's feet. "Come on, silly, let's get going."

After slipping on the sandals and grabbing the beach bag they were sharing, the two were out the door making their way to the nearby beach.

In no time at all, Lilly and Miley both found Oliver by a group of girls in their class. He had become more popular with girls, but he still had yet to keep a steady relationship. He and Joannie Palumbo had been on and off again since the tenth grade. Oliver kept it to himself, but he always wished he could be in a relationship like Miley and Lilly's. They were so perfect for each other, and with that, he was slightly jealous… But he was always happy for them no matter what.

Oliver grinned as he had successfully made Joannie laugh pretty hard by a joke he told. When he spotted his two best friends, his grin broadened. "Hey guys! Over here!" He waved them down.

"Hey, Oliver; Joannie," Miley greeted with a smile once they approached them.

"Hey you two," Joannie replied, smiling herself.

Lilly grinned; she was still happy that Miley and Joannie got along now. It made it a whole lot easier for all of them to hang out together. "So," She started. "What's on the agenda?"

"Beach volleyball," Oliver informed. "You two in?"

Miley pulled Lilly closer to her side, "Want to play?"

"Only if you're on my team," Lilly replied before giving Miley a quick kiss on the lips.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," The brunette smiled warmly.

Lilly turned to Oliver then. "Okay, game on! And you're so going down, Oken!" She mocked.

"Bring it on, Truscott!" He laughed and shortly after, the game began.

-----

After an hour or so of playing, the game finally came to an end. Miley took both of Lilly's hands into her own as they bounced about in their happy dance. Their team had successfully beaten Oliver's. Oliver ran up behind Lilly, pouncing onto her back laughing. Lilly yelped in surprise as the two tumbled to the ground. Miley, Joannie, and other classmates around them laughed in amusement while the two wrestled each other. Quickly, Oliver scrambled to his feet in attempt to escape the blonde. "Don't kill me!" He squeaked out in his girlish squeal.

"Get back here, Oken!" Lilly called after him in the chase. Oliver didn't get very far down the beach before Lilly caught up to him. She grabbed onto the back of his shirt, giving it a good yank, causing him to fall backwards with another yelp. "Woo-hoo!" Lilly pumped her arms in the air victoriously. "Never mess with Lilly Truscott."

"I never learn," He mumbled. When he got to his feet, Miley and Joannie finally caught up to them. "Miley, do something about your girlfriend," He pouted.

"You started it." Miley set the beach bag she had onto the soft sand. "If anything, I should beat you for knocking my Lilly down." She smiled.

"Ha!" Lilly shouted.

A smirk appeared on Oliver's face, making his way over towards Miley. "Oh yea?" He challenged.

"Yup," Miley smiled confidently.

"Well guess again." He laughed as he swung Miley up in his arms, receiving a shriek of surprise, as he carried her over his shoulder.

"Oliver!" She laughed. "Put me down!"

"Don't worry, I will…" Oliver chuckled to himself.

"Oliver!" Lilly yelled. "I'll shove a taser down your trunks if you hurt her!"

Without responding to that, Oliver walked out into the water as Miley banged her fists against his back, laughing. Then, before Miley knew what he was doing, Oliver tossed her into the water. She shrieked loudly as she plunged under the ocean's waves. Oliver let out a loud laugh but was cut short when he too was pushed into the water. Coughing after resurfacing, he was face to face with a drenched Miley and a smirking Lilly. "Was that necessary?" He joked.

"Very…" Lilly continued smirking. "It's so on…" Then she, Miley, Oliver, and Joannie started up a good water fight. It was war and Oliver was losing; badly.

-----

The afternoon came to an end and now the sun was setting off in the distance. The sky was painted with warm colors of reds and oranges. Reflections of the sky in the water gave off a romantic vibe to the young couple sitting on the shore line. Miley nuzzled her face into the crook of Lilly's neck, taking in the smell of the salt water and the unmistakable scent that was just Lilly. Lilly had her arms wrapped protectively around the waist of the girl upon her lap. "I love you, Miley…" She breathed as she closed her eyes contently.

"I love you too, Lilly," Miley whispered against her skin. Miley's left hand traveled up to cup Lilly's face while her right hand held securely onto the small of her back. She pulled her face back to gaze into Lilly's striking blue eyes. Smiling, they both leaned in for a long, tender kiss; the world around them disappearing if only for a moment.

Behind them, about a good twenty feet away, Oliver and Joannie watched the two lovers kiss. "They are so great together," Joannie smiled.

"I know," Oliver smiled as well, looking at his two best friends. "They are absolutely crazy about each other."

"It's sweet…" Joannie glanced at Oliver and scooted over to sit closer to him. "Is it hard for you to be around that all the time?"

"Sometimes," He openly admitted. "But what they have is real. They've got big plans for when we graduate. Nothing can or will ever stop them from being together." Oliver spent the next few minutes thinking about his future. "It's just going to be hard after graduation. I'm going to a whole different school than they are. So I won't get to see them as much…"

"All three of you are so close. I know you're going to keep in touch with them." Joannie reassured.

"I hope so…" Oliver's gaze returned to his friends, who were now completely all over each other. Lilly was lying on top of Miley, straddling her hips with her hands. Whenever they broke a kiss, Lilly would simply look down at Miley with love and adoration. Oliver found his thoughts funny when he realized he already missed them. Although, he knew Joannie was right—nothing could ever keep them apart; not completely. And secretly, he hoped the same would go with Joannie…

-----

"_I'm gonna chase my dreams and catch up to them.  
I'm gonna find you some how, some way, somewhere, some day._

_First day of the rest of our lives, I miss you already._

_Last time I see that look in your eyes, I miss you already._

_First day of the rest of our lives, I miss you already._

_Last time I see that look in your eyes, I miss you already…"_

-----

MXPX- 'First Day of the Rest of Our Lives'

Album: Before Everything and After (2003 A&M Records)

**So there's the first chapter. A set up one, but hope you still liked it :-) Please let me know what you think, cos I am nervous. Thanks! :-D**


	2. Life's a Dance

**Oh gosh, I'm so sorry it took so long to update :( I know, I'm horrible, lol. The end of the school year was hectic, especially with online classes... never doing that again btw. Then I ended up getting stuck on this chapter. It seemed that no matter what I did with it, it wasn't good (to me). Hopefully you all will like it. Anyways, I do apoligize for taking so long, and now here is the next chapter... finally. Enjoy :)**

Chapter 2- Life's a Dance

The first week of school came and went and it was now Friday afternoon. Students bustled about in excitement for the upcoming dance that evening. It was a welcome back to school dance and pretty much everyone was going to the event. Oliver stood at his locker pretending to be looking for something while he occasionally glanced over at Joannie. He'd been thinking of a way to ask her to the dance all week and he had yet to do so.

Across the hall, Lilly turned to notice her male best friend's nervous behavior. She lightly nudged Miley's side to get her attention. "Check it out. Oliver's being all nervous," she chuckled.

Miley looked over her shoulder glance at the nervous boy. "He'll come around and ask her."

"Yea, you're right." Lilly placed her chin on Miley's shoulder. "Oliver really likes her; he'll ask."

"Exactly. Oh, are you absolutely sure your Mom won't be home tonight?" Miley questioned.

"Yes, I'm positive," Lilly laughed. "She's going to visit my grandma all weekend. I'll be _all _yours," she smirked.

Miley let out a shaky breath as a huge grin spread out across her face. "This will be quite a weekend.

"You bet it will…" Both girls leaned in for a searing kiss. They got so lost in each other that neither of them heard the bell ring.

Oliver and Joannie walked by the couple with amused smiles on their faces. "Um, guys?" Joannie chuckled.

"Guys!" Oliver yelled when they failed to hear Joannie the first time.

The girls jumped apart from the sudden disturbance. "What??" They both rushed out.

"The bell rang," he laughed. "It was pretty loud…"

"Shut it," Lilly said while smacking Oliver's shoulder.

"Ow!" He pouted; frowning. "I didn't want you two to get in trouble."

"And it's very much appreciated, right Lilly?" Miley eyed her girlfriend seriously.

"I suppose so," Lilly sighed.

Laughing slightly, Miley wrapped her arm around Lilly and then the four friends headed off to class before the late bell rang.

-----

At the end of the day, when all the students were happily gathering things for the weekend, Lilly was busy spying on her male best friend to make sure Oliver would indeed ask Joannie to the dance for the upcoming night. She had been bugging him all day about it.

Miley walked down the hallway and smiled when she noticed Lilly peeking around the corner to where their lockers would be. With a skip in her step she hurried over. "Whatcha doin'?" She asked loud enough to startle Lilly.

"Eeep!" Lilly jumped. "Miley!" she whisper-yelled. "I'm trying to spy on Oliver."

Miley quirked an eyebrow at her. "That's a little weird…" she joked.

"Oh please," she giggled. "I kept telling him that he needs to take chances or else he could miss out on something wonderful…"

"That's what you told me before you knew I liked you and asked you out," Miley warmly stated.

"Exactly…" The two locked eyes and slowly started leaning in for another kiss. When they pulled back, they hardly noticed an excited Oliver running towards them.

"Lilly! You were right!" He gushed. "I took a chance by asking her, and now she's my date to tonight's dance!"

"I told you!" Lilly grinned.

"Way to go Oliver," Miley smiled as well. "We should all drive there together."

"Already thought of it; I'm going to pick Joannie up first and then swing by to get you two. Would that work?"

"Sounds perfect." Miley faced Lilly once again, "Wanna get going?"

"Yes," Lilly smirked. "I can't wait to show you what I'm wearing to the dance."

"Ohh…I can't wait either." They both smirked at each other before turning their attention back to Oliver. "See you later," Miley waved.

Lilly look Miley's hand in hers and quickly led them both out to Miley's car. They were both overly excited for the night to come.

-----

Later on that evening, Miley finished applying shiny lip gloss to her lips. Her wardrobe consisted of a pair of her favorite dark skinny jeans and a light pink shirt with heart patterns across it. Miley ran her hand through her long, curly brown hair and smiled pleasantly at her reflection.

"Miley! Lilly's here!" Jackson called up to her from downstairs.

"Send her up!" she replied while digging through her shoes.

In no time at all, Lilly creaked open Miley's bedroom door, only peeking her head in. "Hey cutie," she smiled.

"Hey, Lil," Miley smiled. "Come on in."

"Before you keep looking for shoes, I want your opinion on my outfit." Lilly smirked knowingly.

"Okay, I could do th"—Miley turned as Lilly shut the door behind her. Her breath caught in her throat at the sight of her girlfriend in a really short denim miniskirt. "Holy crap!" She grinned lustfully.

"So, shorter is better I take it?" Lilly laughed.

"It sure isn't worse." Miley walked closer to Lilly, eyeing down her nicely tanned legs.

"Oh yea," Lilly added while taking Miley's hands. "You'll see the best part of my new outfit tonight after the dance."

"Teasing is mean, Lillian," Miley smiled.

"Then I'll give you a better mental image; it's a thong." She smugly smiled.

Miley looked down at Lilly's skirt, shocked. "I thought you said you wouldn't be caught dead wearing one of those."

"I heard you talking to Oliver about it," she admitted shyly. "There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you."

"Wow…" Miley whispered in complete awe. "Lilly, you're absolutely astounding, you know that?"

"I've heard it somewhere before. From someone really cute too I believe." Lilly smiled proudly at her girlfriend.

Miley laughed pleasantly as she slipped her shoes on. "Someone really cute, huh?"

"Mhmm…" They both closed the small gap between them, sharing a genuine kiss.

Suddenly, the door to Miley's room opened further. "Hey guys, are you"—Oliver was cut short when he saw his two best friends lost in a moment together; again.

Joannie, standing with Oliver, chuckled to herself. It never got old. "Hey! How many times do we have to interrupt you two from making out?"

Lilly blushed, a small smile on her face when the kiss ended. "It would be fantastic if you didn't though."

"Please," Oliver rolled his eyes. "If we don't, then we'd end up seeing a lot more than we'd want to."

"Okay," Miley said, feeling her face heat up. "Let's not talk about that and head out for the dance."

The four of them exited Miley's room. After saying their goodbyes to Robbie Ray, they all piled into Oliver's car; Miley and Lilly in the backseat. Lilly tilted her head to the side to face Miley with a loving look. "You know, it's cute when you get all flustered whenever our sex life is brought up."

"It's a private thing between us," Miley blushed again.

Dropping the subject, Lilly leaned in to press her lips fully upon Miley's. They kissed for several seconds before pulling back to lean against each other. Miley closed her eyes, taking in the moment of holding Lilly close. She never took any of these moments for granted, and she knew Lilly didn't either.

-----

"Here we are ladies," Oliver smiled after parking in the school's parking lot. "Time to get our groove on."

Joannie rolled her eyes. "Get our groove on? Really?"

"…Sorry," Oliver lightly blushed. The three girls giggled and then the four of them exited the vehicle and entered the school building.

The loud beat of the music in the gymnasium pulsated through their bodies as they made their way inside. Miley closed her eyes for a brief moment, letting the music fill her ears and sink to her soul. Music was her second love; Lilly being her first. At that thought, Miley re-opened her eyes to find Lilly looking back at her with a smile. "May I have this dance?" she asked as she extended her hand towards Lilly.

"Always," Lilly replied, linking hands with Miley and going out to the dance floor.

Oliver turned to Joannie. "Want to, um… dance?" he nervously asked.

"That's why I came with you; come on." The two linked hands just as their friends had and followed to dance.

-----

Half an hour of pulse pounding music passed and Oliver still held his position of dancing with Joannie. He chuckled when he noticed Miley and Lilly had drawn a crowd of younger boys, ogling them, while the two hotly danced together. A sudden tap on his shoulder brought Oliver's attention back to his love interest. "Want to get something to drink?" Joannie hollered over the loud music.

"Sure!" Oliver replied just as loudly. Taking Joannie's hand, he led her with him through the packed crowd, making their way over to the concession stand. After getting their drinks, the two leaned up against the wall, observing the other students. "Having fun, Joannie?" Oliver asked with a warm smile.

"Sure as heck am," she smiled back. "Looks like Stewart and Truscott are too."

"They always are…" A smile crept across Oliver's face when Miley started jumping up and down in excitement when a slow song finally started playing. Finding this as the perfect opportunity, he set down his coke and turned to Joannie. "Want to dance?"

"Definitely." They both shyly smiled, walking back to the dance floor, and slowly swayed together to the slow paced love song.

A few feet away, Lilly and Miley held each other as close as possible; Lilly nuzzling her face into the crook of Miley's neck. Her arms were wrapped protectively around Miley's waist while Miley's were draped over Lilly's shoulders.

Miley buried her face in Lilly's hair, inhaling her wonderful scent of Lilac shampoo. This was her comfort zone. No matter how they were holding each other. A content smile appeared on her face when she felt Lilly place a gentle kiss upon her neck. Her eyes slowly opened at the feeling of Lilly pulling away slightly. She was met with gorgeous blue eyes staring back at her. "I love you, sweetheart." She smiled.

Lilly's eyes sparkled. "I love you too." She then leaned in, pressing her lips against Miley's soft, warm lips. Everything around them seized to exist at that moment. A low moan escaped from Lilly's throat when Miley's tongue slipped into her mouth while digging her hands into her soft blonde hair.

From a distance, Joannie watched her two friends display their love for each other and smiled. It was so pure. So real. She couldn't help but think that maybe, just maybe, she could still have that with Oliver. Neither of them knew what the reason was for their continuous breaking up whenever they tried dating. All Joannie knew was that every single time, she wanted to be with Oliver even more than before. Often times, she wouldn't let emotions get the best of her, but being in Oliver's arms, in this romantic setting, was starting to take over. Deciding not to ruin the moment with loud talking, Joannie decided to enjoy the time she had dancing with Oliver. They could discuss it later.

Meanwhile, Lilly tightened her grip around Miley, taking in everything about this moment. She then leaned forward once again to recapture Miley's lips with hers. "How long do you want to stay, Miles?" she asked.

Miley smirked. "Long enough," she answered simply.

"How long is long enough?" Lilly pouted.

"Just enjoy the music, hun. I'll let you know." With that said Miley kissed Lilly quickly and continued dancing with her. Lilly had simply shrugged it off and once again got lost in the music.

-----

"So," Joannie laughed. "How long do you think those two are going to last?"

"Hmm…" Oliver glanced at his watch. The dance had been going on for an hour now, which meant there was only another hour left. "Hard to say. They never stay too long. I'd say maybe fifteen minutes or so."

She laughed. "I don't know… Might be sooner than that."

Suddenly, just as Joannie had expected, the two girls swiftly made their way over towards them. "Hey," Miley started. "Lilly and I are going to head out, okay?"

"Oh alright," Oliver sighed. "Have fun."

Lilly grinned up at Miley. "We will." With that said, she and Miley headed out of the school to go over to Lilly's house.

"Told ya," Joannie gloated.

"I never win…" He gave her the best puppy dog look he could muster up.

"Aww… Will another dance with me cheer you up?"

"For sure," he happily answered.

The rest of the evening flew by blissfully. Oliver had gotten a text from Lilly about fifteen minutes after they had departed saying '_Ask her our b4 it's too late!_' He had yet to do so. There was plenty of time to ask Joannie out, but the problem was convincing Lilly and Miley that.

Before too long, the dance had finally come to an end. "Whoo!" Oliver grinned. "That was fun!" Joannie smiled in agreement as they walked together out of the school and towards Oliver's car. Feeling spontaneous, Oliver stopped right in front of his car, turning to Joannie. "Want to go to the beach?"

"I'd love to," she smiled.

"Awesome…" he breathed. Walking over to the passenger side door, Oliver opened the door for her, getting a nice thank you in return. Then, he himself got into the car, buckled up, and then drove off in the direction of the beach; hoping to make this night even better.

-----

Flying high above cloud nine, Miley clutched onto Lilly's damp blonde hair as she started coming back down to Earth. "Oh God…" she gasped out breathlessly.

Lilly panted heavily as she crawled her way up Miley's body, placing her head on Miley's rapidly rising and falling chest. They had spent the last hour making love in the privacy of Lilly's bedroom and both girls were completely spent. "I love you…" Lilly continued panting, gripping onto Miley's shaky shoulders.

A soft smile shone on Miley's face. It took several seconds for her breathing to slow down. "I… I love you too…"

Slowly, Lilly lifted her head to gaze into Miley's stunning blue-grey eyes. Miley smiled along with Lilly and slowly leaned in to kiss her softly on the lips. "This… This is perfect, Miles."

"It always is." She smiled while softly caressing Lilly's face with her hands.

Lilly scooted a litter further up so she was able to rest her forehead against Miley's. "I can't even begin to explain how excited I am for this year. It's going to be perfect."

"You think everything is perfect," Miley teased. "But, I'm going to have to agree with you on that one. I mean, after we graduate we get to move in together, go to college together…"

"And trust me; it'll get even better than that. I just know it," Lilly cut in, wrapping her arms around her girlfriend tightly with excitement.

"Good to know." Miley tilted her head up to press her lips against Lilly's again. "I just hope things go well with Oliver and Joannie. It's obvious they're meant to be together."

"I know, Miles. I'm sure they'll get together soon. Did you see the way they acted at the dance?" She smirked.

"Yea… I guess I just need to stop thinking about it. They'll come around." To get her mind of the matter, Miley continued kissing Lilly. Even though Oliver and Joannie were being stubborn about being together, both she and Lilly knew that they would hook up. It was just a matter of time. She'd be with Lilly. Oliver would be with Joannie. All would be good. Life is, after all, a dance.

_Life's a dance, you learn as you go  
Sometimes you lead; sometimes you follow  
Don't worry about what you don't know  
Life's a dance you learn as you go..._

**"Life's a Dance" by John Michael Montgomery**

**I know it's a little short, but Hopefully it wasn't too bad, lol. I will try very, very hard to have the next chapter up soon. Since it's summer vacation now, I should be able to have more time to write. And I promise things will start picking up here shortly. This was another set up chapter, but those are important as well. Thanks for reading, please review if you wish :)**


	3. Crazier

**I finally got this done! It feels so good! :) Sorry it took so long (what else is new, lol) Right away I got stuck on this chapter. It was so irritating. But not that long ago, it all came to mind, and I got it done. It may not be much, but it's still important to the rest of the story of course. Beginning chapters can be tough to write sometimes. Like I've said before, all my big ideas for this are a little later on. Not too much longer will things start to pick up. Now that I have this updated, I am going to work on the next and final chapter to 'This Is The Life.' Enjoy!! :-D**

Chapter 3- Crazier

"Have you heard anything from Oliver or Joannie yet?" Miley asked Lilly as they walked over to their lockers. It was Monday morning and the girls were still in a blissful state after the lovely weekend they had shared together.

"Nope, not yet," Lilly replied; shaking her head slightly. "I swear if he hasn't asked her out yet, I'll do it for him."

"You don't want to push them, Lil. They're both stubborn. I'm sure we'll find out how their weekend went when we see them today."

"Hey, you want them together just as much as I do," she smiled.

Suddenly, a bright smile appeared on Miley's beautiful face. "Looks like we'll find out soon; here they come."

"Hey guys," Oliver dreamily greeted with his left arm slung around Joannie's waist while she herself was smiling as well.

"No way!" Lilly beamed. "You mean you guys finally…?"

"Yes, Truscott, we're together." Joannie confirmed.

"Finally! Oh this is great." She leaned in to hug Oliver.

"Congratulations guys," Miley told them happily. "Tell us how it happened."

"Well," Oliver started. "We went to the beach after the dance on Friday and just walked along the shore line…"

"And then he took my hand, looked into my eyes, and just kissed me. It was very romantic," Joannie finished, smiling up at Oliver.

"I try," Oliver proudly stated.

"We all have to go on a double date to celebrate," Miley gushed. "It will be perfect! We could go to Olive Garden, then to the beach…"

"We can talk about it after class, sweetie." Lilly chuckled at how adorable Miley was acting. "Let's get to class before the bell rings this time, for once."

"Where's the fun in that?" Oliver joked.

"I'll tell you where it is," Joannie smiled as she gently pushed her boyfriend in the direction of their classroom. "See you two next hour," she called out to the girls.

Miley and Lilly waved, laughing slightly to themselves and continued on their way to class.

-----

During the second to last class of the day, Miley suddenly felt her cell phone vibrate in her pocket. Carefully, she pulled it out, opened it, and read a text message her father sent to her.

'_Miley. The office will call you down soon. Minor Hannah emergency. Love Dad._'

Right as she flipped her phone shut, the intercom clicked on in the room. "Miley Stewart to the office please," Mr. Colbot, the school's principal, announced.

"Thank you, Mr. Colbot!" Mrs. Jacobs, the History teacher, looked up at Miley. "You may go," she smiled.

Lilly turned around, tilting her head up with a confused look on her face. "Where are you going?" She whispered.

"I'll text you in a bit," Miley whispered back. "I'll see you later on." They each shared a sweet smile before Miley headed out of the classroom.

Lilly sighed while turning back to her homework. She always hated it when Miley left during school. The up side was that the next class was the last one- Study Hall. A few seconds later her phone started vibrating inside her back pocket. Lilly reached for it and read the text from Miley.

'_Hannah emergency. Fill U in later. Love you!- Miley._'

She sent a quick reply and then went straight back to her homework.

-----

Miley looked at her reflection in her portable mirror while she and her father waited for Mr. Halvison, president of the record company, to show up. Miley put her mirror away and smoothed out her blonde wig. "Do you have any idea what this is about?" She asked.

"Not really." Robbie started itching around his fake mustache. "Dang, I hate wearin' this thing."

Miley smiled at her father. Then, Mr. Halvison walked into the room. "Hannah! Mr. Montana. Good to see you again," he said with a smile.

"Our pleasure, Mr. Halvison," Robbie replied.

"I'm sure you're curious of why I called the two of you down here in such short notice." Mr. Halvison took a seat at the head of the table.

"Just a smidge," Hannah smiled.

"Well," he began. "Your newest single _Supergirl _has been doing amazingly well and we were thinking of filming a music video for it soon. We wanted your opinion, Hannah."

"That'd be awesome!" She beamed. "It would be nice to have a new music video, right Dad?" Hannah asked while looking at Robbie.

"Absolutely. I'm all for it."

"Great!" Mr. Halvison started pulling out papers from his briefcase. "We have the usual contract here, but you can take your time, read them over, and let me know if there are any changes you would like to have happen."

Robbie took the contract. "I'll take a look at it now since we're here. It shouldn't take too long if it's the same as all the other ones."

"When does filming start?" Hannah asked.

"We are hoping within the next month," Halivson smiled at the teenage pop star.

Robbie smiled as well, signing his signature in various spots on the contact, then hading it over to his daughter so she could sign as well. "Everything looks good to me, Mr. Halvison."

Hannah finished signing the papers and handed them back to the man.

"Great!" Mr. Halvison placed the contract into a file folder, neatly placed it back in his briefcase and turned his attention back to Hannah. "There are still a few other things to go over if you don't mind."

Hannah gave him a warm smile. "I don't mind at all." To say that Hannah was excited was an understatement; she was ecstatic.

-----

Back in Malibu, down at Rico's Surf Shop, Lilly sat with her two friends; Oliver and Joannie. It had been a few hours since Miley left for L.A. so she was hoping to hear from her brunette beauty soon. With a sigh, Lilly pulled out her cell phone.

Oliver smirked. "Are you really _that _bored without Miley?"

"What?" She looked up. "Oh, um sorry… I'm just curious of how the whole, you know… _Hannah _thing is going." She whispered the last part.

"Don't worry so much," he said while taking a bite of his nachos.

Joannie took a few herself too. "Things will go well. Miley will come back all smiles and tell you some good news or something."

"Probably," Lilly smiled. She was just about to put her phone back into her pocket when it started ringing out Miley's special ring tone—_One in a Million_. "Yes!" She shouted excitingly and quickly flipped it open. "Hey Miles!"

"Hey," Miley giggled. "Miss me?"

"Very much," Lilly responded.

"Miss ya too. You down at Rico's?"

"Yea, with Joannie and Oliver. Are you home yet?" She eagerly asked.

"Yup, I'm actually finishing getting ready to head to the beach. I'll see you soon," Miley said lovingly.

"Okay, can't wait." They both said their goodbyes and hung up. "She's on her way," Lilly informed. "Now I can focus on something other than you two being all couple-like."

"Oh please!" Joannie laughed in amusement. "You and Miley get so cutesy most of the time it makes me sick." She smirked, showing Lilly she was messing with her, like usual.

Rolling her eyes, Lilly took one of Oliver's nachos and continued to keep an eye out for Miley to show up.

A couple of minutes later, Miley came bounding down towards Rico's and smiled at the sight of her girlfriend. Miley's hair hung down in loose curls. She wore jean shorts and a light blue fitted v-neck t-shirt. "Hey Lilly," she smiled, leaning down to kiss the blonde on the cheek.

"Hey, I missed you," Lilly said after pulling Miley down onto her lap. "How'd the meeting go?"

"It went well," Miley started explaining. They all leaned in closer so Miley could talk softer about the Hannah issue. "They want to start making a music video for _Supergirl _soon," she smiled.

"That's awesome, Miles!" Lilly said with pride.

"I know I've known about this for a while now, but it's still weird to know about… _Hannah_," Joannie whisper-laughed.

"At least you didn't faint when I told you like Oliver did," Miley teased.

"Hey!" Oliver's face turned beat red while sinking lower in his seat.

Joannie started laughing hysterically. "That is so hilarious!"

"It's not that funny _dear_," Oliver pouted. "Anyways," Oliver cleared his throat. "That's fantastic news, Miley. When's the video shoot?"

"Within the next month. They still have to get everything set up and whatnot." Miley's head rested against Lilly's while she idly played with the ends of her soft blonde locks. "I'm so excited for this video."

"Me too…" Lilly's hands caressed Miley's thighs.

Oliver glanced down at his watch. "Well, as much as I would love to stay, I do have homework to get done."

"I'll go with you," Joannie stated as the two stood up from their seats.

Miley smirked knowingly at Oliver. "Have fun!"

The two walked off, Oliver blushing slightly, leaving Lilly and Miley chuckling to themselves. "Do you think they're…?"

"Nah," Miley cut in. "Most likely not. I mean, they just got back together."

"Yea," sighed Lilly happily. "We waited six months before we did that," she smiled.

"Six months and three days to be exact," Miley informed with a pleasant smile spreading across her face.

"I know, Ms. Technicality." Lilly leaned up to place a kiss on Miley's full lips. "Want to go back to your house to relax or stay here at the beach?"

"I say my house. Snuggling up with you on the couch with a blanket sounds pretty amazing right now."

Lilly grinned. "Sounds perfect."

Both girls stood up after sharing a long tender kiss. Miley watched with great interest while Lilly stretched. Without having to think about it, Miley softly said, "I love you…"

Pausing mid-stretch, smiling, Lilly replied, "I love you too." She reached out her hand to lace it with Miley's. Then, they were off to start a relaxing evening together.

A few minutes later, the girls entered the Stewart household where Robbie Ray was happily preparing himself a sandwich. "Hello ladies," he greeted. "Woulda thought you'd be gone longer than this, bud."

"I did too," Miley replied. "Oliver and Joannie headed out early to get some homework done. So, we came here instead."

"Do you have any homework?" He asked once he finished making his snack.

"I managed to finish in school. We both did." Miley and Lilly smiled proudly.

"That's my girl." Robbie, holding his sandwich, then headed towards the stairs.

"So, what do you want to watch?" Miley asked after her father disappeared up the stairs.

"Mind if we watch the sports channel? I want to catch up on what's going on." Lilly smiled sweetly, knowing Miley wasn't too into sports like she was.

"Absolutely." Grabbing the remote, Miley sat down on the couch next to her girlfriend, turned the TV onto the sports channel, and grabbed a blanket from the back of the couch. "Is the cuddling still an option?" She smiled.

Lilly gave a sideways glance at Miley; smirking. "Of course it is, sweetie." Miley's body molded against her own, spreading warmth through both of them. "So," Lilly started. "How's that song for your Dad comin' along?"

"Really well actually." Miley laced her hand with Lilly's. "I just have to finish recording it, mix it a little bit, and then it'll be done."

"He's going to absolutely love it, babe," she said sweetly, placing a gentle kiss upon the brunette's cheek.

"I sure hope so…" Their attention turned to the television as the topic of skateboarding came up. Miley snuggled up as close as she could to Lilly's body.

In the meantime Lilly's mind drifted to thoughts of the brunette angel lying in her arms. Her heart sped up slightly when she thought of sharing her life with Miley. It was everything she wanted. Senior year was their year to shine, but she couldn't help but feel excited for planned events following their final year of high school. Lilly was the only one who knew of her major plan, and with that she relaxed into Miley's embrace. There was no doubt that Miley made her completely happy, and knowing Miley felt the same way warmed her heart and soul. This year was just the beginning to what she hoped to be plenty more wonderful years to come.

------

"_You lift my feet off the ground  
You spin me around  
You make me crazier, crazier  
Feels like I'm falling and I  
I'm lost in your eyes  
You make me Crazier, crazier, crazier…"_

_(Taylor Swift- Crazier)_

-----

**Yea, kinda short :-/ But hopefully good as well. Hurray for Oliver and Joannie :) Their relationship plays a major part in this story. I will post more hopefully sooner than I posted this chapter. For those of you reading, thanks! Please let me know what you think, I love hearing from you :)**


	4. My Little Girl

**Hey everybody. I am back with a new chapter :) This chapter is set about a month after the previous one. The last chapter didn't seem to do so well; only 7 reviews :-/ Hopefully this one will be more to people's liking. Here you'll finally get to see what Lilly's been up too. Not a lot of Lilly/Miley time in this chapter, but I hope you'll like it anyways. Thanks to those who reviewed last time, and hopefully I'll hear from more of you this time around. Thanks :)  
P.S. My bday was last tuesday (Sept. 22) I am now 21. yay!! **

Chapter 4- My Little Girl

Heather locked her car as she walked up the driveway to her house. She had a long day at the office and was looking forward to spending the evening at home. When she made it inside she found her daughter talking on her cell phone, her back turned, while writing something down.

"Thanks again." Lilly smiled. "I'll come by later today with the payment. Yup; bye." Lilly clicked her phone off, turned, and was startled to see her mother behind her. "Hey… How long have you been here?" she nervously asked.

"I just got here…" Heather crossed her arms, quite suspiciously. "Who was that on the phone?"

"Um…" Lilly panicked, trying to make up something. Anything. "Nobody?"

Setting down her purse, Heather walked closer to her daughter. "I think it was somebody. Why won't you tell me?"

Slumping her shoulders, Lilly knew she had to at least tell her something. "Sorry, it's just…I want it to be a surprise. For everybody."

Thoughts crossed the older blonde's mind. Payments… Surprises… She might know what was going on, but she did not want to say anything. She could be wrong for all she knew. "Okay, Lilly. I won't push the subject." She smiled.

"Thanks…" Lilly sighed in relief.

Right before Heather was about to sit down, the house phone rang out. She quickly picked it up. "Hello?"

"Hey, Heather," Randall Truscott greeted. "How are things going?"

Even though Heather and Randall had been separated, not divorced, for a while, they could still socialize without ripping each other's heads off. The two of them took some time apart to clear their minds and to see whether or not things between them would get better or worse. For the sake of Lilly and themselves, they decided to try this out- a suggestion given from their marriage councilor.

"Things are going well," she replied. "What have you been up to?"

"Working mostly." There was a slight pause on his end. "Hey, um, is Lilly around? I haven't talked to her in a few days."

"Yes, hold on." Heather looked over at Lilly, who was now sitting on the couch. "Your father would like to speak with you."

A smile spread out across her face. She took the phone from her Mom and held it up to her ear. "Hey, Dad," she beamed.

"Hey kid!" He smiled as well. "I was wondering if you wanted to do something today, unless you have plans with Miley already."

"No, Miley's busy today. I'd love to hang out," Lilly informed.

"Great! Would it be okay if I came by in about an hour?"

"Sure." She smiled again. "See you soon."

They both hung up and Lilly walked over to put the phone back where it belonged. "Dad wants to hang out, is that okay?"

"Of course it's okay," Heather laughed. "We don't hate each other."

"I know…" Lilly looked down, fidgeting with the hem of her t-shirt. "I'm still worried though…" she whispered.

Heather's eyes saddened. "I know, sweetie, but we have a lot of things to work out. Our Councilor suggested spending some time apart."

"Yea, I know…" Not wanting to discuss it any further, Lilly turned in the direction of the stairs. "I'm gonna go get ready. He should be here in about an hour." And with that, she went up to her room.

-----

Meanwhile at the Stewart residence, Miley was getting ready to head out for filming her music video. They had been working on it for a few weeks now and things were still going smoothly. Miley applied light pink lipstick, smiled, and got up from her vanity mirror. She was now Hannah Montana. Grabbing her purse, she walked out of her room and down the stairs. "Dad! I'm ready!" she called out.

"Awesome," Robbie replied while slipping on his brown blazer and hat. He grabbed his keys and the two headed out to his new car: a brand new Coupe 1ss 2010 Chevrolet red Camero. They each buckled up and then headed off to Los Angeles. "Production's movin' along a lot faster than we all expected," Robbie started. "Shouldn't be too long before we're done filming."

Miley was beaming. "I know. I have a feeling it's going to be a cool video. Hopefully it will be, at least."

"Of course it will be," he laughed. "All your videos have been great so far, I don't see our luck running out now. _Supergirl _is one of your biggest hits ever."

Miley's phone suddenly started vibrating from within her purse. Pulling it out she saw she had received a text message from Lilly-

'_Good luck 2day! Wish I could be there with U. Hanging with my Dad 2day. Love you!_'

Robbie glanced over at his over-joyed daughter as she was sending a reply text. "I take it by the look on your face it was from Lilly?" He chuckled.

"Yes…" She blushed.

"Why're ya blushin'?" he teased. "Was it dirty?"

"Daddy!" Miley laughed out in embarrassment.

He couldn't help but laugh. Miley's face was beat red. "So it was? I might have to have a talk with that girl."

Miley's face was buried in her hands. "I swear, it wasn't dirty; gosh!" She continued laughing. "That's embarrassing when you talk about that."

"Well, that' is my job ya know. Embarrassing my children." He smirked.

"It's a mean, horrible job!" Her face was still red, but she dropped her hands to her lap, laughing.

"Fine, I'll stop," he responded.

"Thank you." Miley gave him a smile and then turned the radio on. She started singing along to _Battlefield _by Jordin Sparks right when she recognized the tune. This was one of her favorite songs.

Although, when Robbie started singing along to the chorus in the girliest voice he could muster, Miley started to playfully smack his arm; begging him to stop. It was moments like this that Robbie truly loved.

-----

Lilly sighed nervously when she saw her Dad's car pull up into their driveway. She slipped her check book into her messenger bag and then tended to put her grey Converse shoes on. "Mom, Dad's here!" she shouted up the stairs.

A few seconds later, Randall walked into the house. "Hey kiddo." He smiled, pulling his daughter into a hug.

"I missed you," Lilly mumbled into his shirt.

"I missed you, too…" When he re-opened his eyes, Randall was faced with another girl who meant the world to him; despite what they were going through. "Hi, Heather." He offered a genuine smile.

"Hi, Randy." She smiled in return. "Where are you two heading out today?"

"I figured I'd take her to the Sports Bar near the mall for lunch and then head over to Pacific Park." He smiled proudly at the idea.

"Awesome!" Lilly beamed.

"Sounds good," Heather agreed. She and Randall made eye contact before he gently took her hand in his, causing her to smile to herself, and brought it up to his lips; gently kissing her soft skin. "Have fun…" she breathed.

"I'll bring her back later this evening…" Randall's blue eyes shined while he rand a hand through his sandy blonde hair. The two adults waved goodbye and then Randall and Lilly walked out of the house.

"That was quite interesting," Lilly said with a smirk.

"What was?" Randall asked once they got into his car.

"That…" Lilly pointed in the direction of the house. "With mom? You might as well have kissed her on the lips."

"What?" He laughed. "No, I was being professional. Polite even."

"Whatever…" Lilly rolled her eyes; smiling. When she glanced down to her bag, her smile turned into a nervous one. She remembered what she had to do today. "Um, Dad…?"

"Hmm?" he hummed while driving.

"Can you, uh…drive me somewhere before we head out?" Lilly looked over at him in anticipation.

Randall shrugged. "Sure, no problem. Where?"

"I'll… I'll point the way. I want it to be somewhat of a surprise to you."

"A surprise, huh? Alright, point the way" He smiled.

-----

"Robbie, Hannah!" Mr. Halvison happily greeted. "Ready for another productive day?"

"We sure are," Robbie smiled as he shook Mr. Halvison's hand.

"Excellent! Follow me."

The three of them walked over to the set where everyone was busy making sure things were where they were supposed to be and ready to go. Hannah looked up at her Dad. Robbie was looking straight ahead, observing the set, and she couldn't help but smile. Her father kept up on his dreams, was a hard worker, and a dedicated parent to his children. The prime example of how she wanted to be in the future. So far, she felt like she was heading down the right path. With a smile still intact, Hannah positioned herself where she was supposed to be for the next scene of the video.

"Okay, Hannah," the Director spoke. "Let's get this scene started by going over it for a second."

Hannah smiled and when the music started, she and her dancers went over the steps. Once they got it down, the filming began. She was definitely ready for a long day.

-----

Even though Lilly had driven down Pacific Coast Highway, in this general direction, many times before, it had never seemed so long of a drive than it did right now. With shaky, sweaty hands, she pointed forward. "T-Take a left here on Cross Creek Road," she shakily let out.

Turning on the road, Randall smiled. "So we're heading over to the Country Mart?"

Lilly nodded. The Country Mart was right in the heart of the Malibu Civic Center. There were plenty of places to shop and was close to one of the schools she and Miley were considering going to: Pepperdine University. "Yea," Lilly sighed nervously. "I have something I need to do quickly." She continued to point her father in the direction she wanted to go until they finally reached it.

After he parked, Randall looked up in surprise of which store they were parked in front of. "Lilly…? Why are we at Traditional Jewelers?" he cautiously asked his seventeen-year-old, almost eighteen, daughter.

"You'll find out soon enough…" Lilly opened her door and got out of the car, followed by her Dad. Then she swiftly opened the door to the building, entering the jewelry store, and smiled when she spotted the man behind the counter she had the pleasure of doing business with. "Hi, hi," she greeted.

"Miss Truscott, so glad to see you today." The man, whose name tag read Vick, walked towards her. "I was happy to get the call from you."

"Not a problem," she smiled. "I have the next payment ready."

"Excellent." Vick led the way over to the proper counter that held a beautiful collection of the Hearts On Fire ring collection- along with a few other collections.

"Oh um, Vick, this is my Dad," Lilly said, pointing to the sandy blonde man next to her.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Truscott." The two men shook hands. "You have got one heck of a daughter here."

"Thanks…" Randall looked back at Lilly. "What's going on?"

"Well, I was going to have it be a surprise, but you're here and I need to make a payment today, so you might as well find out." After she took out her check book, Lilly looked up at the dark-haired retailer. "Mind if I show him?"

"Of course you can. I'll go get it." Vick briefly disappeared into the back and returned not even a minute later holding a small white box. Once he got a nod from Lilly, he opened the box, displaying a while gold diamond ring.

Randall's eyes popped open. "L-Lilly, that…that looks like a…" His attention went back to his daughter, whom was smiling brightly at him. "…Is it?"

"Yes…" she shyly replied. "It's an engagement ring."

Since Randall was speechless, the retailer took that as a chance to describe the ring to him. "And a wonderful engagement ring at that. This," he placed the ring on the glass counter, "is part of the Hearts On Fire collection. It is a Felicity Split Shank Solitair ring, semi-mount. The .30 carat diamonds are set in a lovely eighteen carat white gold band. Lilly made an excellent choice on this one."

Smiling, Randall picked up the box, getting a better look at the strikingly beautiful ring. His little girl was actually buying this. Tears brimmed his eyes.

Lilly placed her head on her Dad's strong right arm, wrapping her own around it in a hug. "So do you think Miley will like it?" she asked in a near whisper.

"Miley will absolutely love it…" He set the ring down, wiping his eyes with his left hand and then wrapped Lilly in a hug. "How long have you been doing this?" His voice cracked with emotion.

"A couple of months now," she said, smiling into his chest. "I've been saving every dime I have to pay for this."

Vick smiled, thinking of his own two married daughters. He remembered how emotional news like this was. "I even got her a discount on the ring."

"How much have you paid off?"

Lilly pulled back enough to look at him, Vick, and the ring. "A little over half I believe."

"Total…?" He moved his hand in a circular motion, wanting to know more.

"The total cost of the ring is two thousand five-hundred dollars," Vick answered. "I took off tax for the discount."

Amused and curious, Randall looked, once again, back at Lilly. "How did you pay off so much already?"

"That summer job I had… I saved all that money for this. Plus, all my allowance, things I've sold, extra chores and other odd jobs…" Lilly finished with a proud smile. "You can _not _tell Mom about this. You're the only one who knows about this now."

"Your secret's safe with me." His thoughts drifted a bit. Then, he came to a decision he knew he wanted to do. "I want to help you with a big payment…"

Lilly looked at her Dad in shock. She was beyond touched by the offer. "Dad, you don't have to…"

"I want to," he pressed. "I really want to help out. You did so much on your own, and I'm _so _proud of you for that. Please, let me help." His words were strong with pride and determination.

Now tears brimmed the edges of Lilly's eyes. "That would be amazing, Dad… Thanks."

For the next few minutes, Vick, Lilly, and Randall went over how much Lilly had left to pay off. The total for that was $1,366. Randall drummed his fingers softly against the counter. This wasn't a huge amount in his eyes; he was a highly successful Accountant for a huge law firm in California. Lilly would be working so hard for a long time to finish paying this. "How much do you have now, Lilly?" he asked.

"Five hundred," she replied.

"Hmm…" He continued thinking. "When do you plan on popping the question?"

"Once Miley and I move in together during the summer; on our three year anniversary in June." Lilly smiled when her mind wondered on picturing the event.

"Aww," he cooed, causing Lilly's face to turn a light pink; a smile on her face. "Well, how about I add another six hundred to that?"

Lilly's jaw dropped. "Seriously??"

"Seriously." He laughed at her shocked expression.

"You're the best, Dad!" Lilly lunged forward, wrapping her arms around her father's torso in a bone crushing hug, which he more than happily returned.

Together, the two paid a total of $1,100, leaving Lilly only owing $266. She insisted she paid off the rest herself. Then she and her Dad left the store, after thanking Vick for his assistance. Randall was still amazed at how much Lilly has grown. His baby girl was going to propose to her girlfriend. The thought brought tears of joy in his eyes as he drove off back to his original destination.

-----

Many hours later, around five thirty in the evening, filming for the day had closed off. There was only one more scene they had to do and then it would be finished.

"Great work today, Hannah," the video director spoke.

"Thanks." Exhausted, Hannah grabbed a bottled water and quickly drank some. "Sorry I won't be available again until next weekend," she said with a hopeful look.

"Hey, don't worry about it. It all works out." He placed a hand on her shoulder. "See you then."

After waving goodbye, she walked over to her Dad who was sitting on a chair looking over his PDA. "I am _so _beat!" she sighed.

"I bet," Robbie replied, putting the device back into his pocket. "You worked hard today. I say we head home so you can just relax."

"Sounds great." Hannah picked up her bag from one of the storage lockers and then she and her father were on their way out the door. Paparazzi had, of course, collected outside the studio, begging for information on the latest music video. Hannah said nothing. Once they made it to the safety of their limo, she was able to relax slightly. She stretched out on the seat opposite of Robbie. "Can you wake me when we get home?" she asked, already closing her tired eyes.

"Sure thing, bud…" When his daughter finally slipped into a peaceful slumber, he couldn't help but smile. Miley was such a hard worker and never complained about working hours on end most days for this music video. In fact, she never complained much about anything she had to do for long periods of time as Hannah. Robbie leaned back in his seat, smiling, and couldn't help the familiar feeling of pride sweep over him. He was, and always would be, so proud of Miley.

-----

Randall put his car in park after they rode up the driveway to the house. He and Lilly had spent the day at Pacific Park in Santa Monica, which was only about a twenty minute drive from Traditional Jewelers. They each had a great time together, as always, and he was bummed that time had flown by so fast that day. "Hope you had fun today." He smiled.

"Are you kidding?" She smiled back. "I had a blast. You know I love going to Pacific Park."

"Yea, I do know," he chuckled. When they got out, Randall noticed Lilly checking her phone. By the look on her face, he knew what she wanted. "If you ask your Mom, I'd be willing to drop you off."

"What do you mean?" she asked, playing dumb.

"You want to go see Miley," he said matter-of-factly. "It's Saturday, I'm sure she'd let you go."

Lilly smiled. "Thanks, Dad." With that, Lilly took off to the house. She hadn't seen Miley all day, and she needed to see her. It always completed her day.

After some convincing, Heather allowed Lilly to go. She gave both Lilly and Randall a hug goodbye. "Have fun at Miley's."

"I will," she laughed. "I'll see you tomorrow, Mom."

Heather waved and also made eye contact with Randall before he took off again down the road. With a small sigh, she headed back inside.

Not even five minutes later, they arrived at the Stewart household. Lilly called ahead of time to ask about coming over. Robbie had answered Miley's phone at the time, saying she was sound asleep, but told her she was more than welcome to come over for the night.

"Thanks for driving me here," Lilly told her Dad. "Well, thanks for everything…"

Randall knew what she meant. He tried his best to control his emotions. "Not a problem at all, Lilly." They shared a hug- a long one- before pulling away. "Tell Miley I said hi, okay?"

"I will," she smiled again. "Love you."

"Love you too…" Lilly shut the door after giving him a kiss on the cheek and he watched her walk up the pathway and gracefully entered the house. His tears lightly slid down his face and then drove off back to see Heather. He wasn't going to tell her Lilly's plan- He always kept his word. But all this love going around made him miss her. One step at a time and things would hopefully be back on track for them.

Inside the Stewart residence, Lilly made some small talk with Robbie Ray, before making her way upstairs to Miley's bedroom. Just as she thought, Miley was sound asleep under the warm comforter of her bed. Smiling with adoration, Lilly set her overnight bag on the floor next to the bed and carefully crawled in next to her.

Shifting in her sleep, Miley barely opened her eyes. "Lilly?" she tiredly mumbled out.

"Hey," Lilly whispered. "Sorry I woke you…"

"Don't be." Miley gave her a tired smile. Her heart soared when Lilly pulled her close to her warm body. She leaned her head up to press a soft, gentle kiss on the blonde's lips and then snuggled into her, letting sleep once again take over her body.

Lilly's eyes closed in contentment. The tropical scent of Miley's shampoo filled her senses and she couldn't help but bury her face into the soft, brown locks as she so often did in moments like this. Replaying the day's events in her mind, Lilly was glad she told her Dad about the engagement ring. It was nice that one person knew about it at least. With that happy thought in mind, her body relaxed and took her off into dreamland with Miley. Life was good.

-----

"_You're beautiful baby from the outside in_

_Chase your dreams but always know the road that'll lead you home again_

_Go on, take on this ol' world_

_But to me you know you'll always be, my little girl…"  
_

_(Tim McGraw- 'My Little Girl')_

_-----_

**See, there's a lil bit of Lilly/ Miley time :) They gotta have something. They're sooo cute. Hopefully the ring was somewhat shocking. I'm sure a lot of you saw it coming. I wanted this chatper to be a father/daughter one to show the closeness of their relationships. Plus, it explains what's going on with Randall and Heather. Oliver and Joannie will be back in the next chapter. Don't worry, they play a huge role in this story. You'll see lots of them. Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed :) Lemme know what ya think :-D  
If you want to see what Robbie's car looks like and what the engagement ring looks like, I put the links onto my profile :)**


	5. Johnny and June

**Hey everyone! I know, I'm horrible for taking so long, and for that I apologize. I had trouble deciding what to do with this chapter though. I know it's a little short, but hopefully sitll enjoyable. It was going to be kind of like a two chapters in one thng, but adding the other part to this chapter didn't feel right, and I think that's what troubled me with this for so long. So I do apologize for the shortness, and I do hope you like it. Enjoy :)**

Chapter 5- Johnny and June

After classes were let out on a Wednesday afternoon, Miley waited patiently at her locker for Lilly to finish talking to one of their teachers. Miley was in a good mood for several reasons. One, they had a four day weekend due to teacher conferences; two, she was going to be with Lilly the whole time, one way or another; and third, Jackson was coming home for a visit. To top it all off, she had completed her song on CD format for her Dad. Smiling, Miley felt that nothing could bring her down.

"Waiting for your perverted sex toy, Stewart?" Amber called out from down the hall.

Well, almost nothing… Groaning in annoyance, Miley turned to face the Queen Bee. "Shut up, Amber. Stop calling her that!" she angrily shouted.

"Oh, did I strike a nerve?" Amber said with fake sympathy.

Miley swung her backpack over her shoulder. "Yes, now go home. I don't need your crap today."

"But that's what enlightens me," she smirked. "I'll always have power over you." With that, Amber walked off, not wanting to waist anymore time talking to a non-popular student.

Miley was still seething when Lilly approached. "Miles? What's wrong?" she asked in concern.

"Amber… She just randomly walked up to me and started bashing you."

"What'd she say?" Lilly took Miley's hand in hers and the two lovers made their way out of the school.

"She called you my perverted sex toy," Miley replied while unlocking her car.

"Well, that's rude." They both buckled their seatbelts before Lilly turned to look back at Miley. "I'm not perverted." She smiled, trying to cheer up the girl she loved more than anything.

Miley laughed. "You always know how to cheer me up."

"Part of my job, my dear. You just can't let Amber get to you." Lilly took Miley's right hand into her hands. "I don't care what she says about me…"

"Yea, but I do," Miley interrupted. "Lils, you deserve to be treated better than that."

"So do you." A little while later, when they arrived at Miley's, they were both excited to see Jackson's blue junk car in the driveway.

"Oh my gosh!" Miley smiled. "I didn't think he'd be here quite yet."

"Do you think he brought his new girlfriend?" Lilly asked as they headed towards the door.

"Who knows," Miley shrugged. "He hasn't mentioned it." When the two entered the house they were met with Robbie and Jackson on the couch watching a football game. "Jackson!" Miley beamed, running towards her older brother.

"Hey sis!" Jackson smiled, returning the hug Miley gave him. "How have you been lately?"

"Great." Miley looked back over at Lilly, winked, and turned back to Jackson. "Lilly's been taking _real _good care of me." She smirked.

Jackson stared blankly at Miley for a few seconds. "….Eeeewwww…."

Lilly's face turned red, burying her face into Miley's hair from behind. Miley just chuckled. "Sorry, I had to say it. Anyways…How are things going with you and Rachel?"

"Really well actually," he smiled. "I think this could last longer than a week."

Miley laughed lightly at the joke. "Well, I'm happy for you bro."

"From what you've told me, Son, it sounds like she's a keeper," Robbie piped in, smiling.

"I hope so. I _really _like her." Jackson smiled at the thought of his gorgeous girlfriend.

Lilly, still leaning against Miley from the back, wrapped her arms around Miley's waist. She sighed contently when Miley's hands covered her own. Lilly hoped Jackson would end up as happy as she and Miley were.

"Oh, Jackson, I need to um…show you something upstairs." Miley suddenly remembered what she was going to ask Jackson to do for her.

He raised a curious eyebrow. "O-kay, sure…" Then his hand was taken by Miley and he followed the girls up to Miley's bedroom. Jackson sat down on the edge of her bed. "So, what'd you wanna show me?"

"It's more like I wanted to ask you something without Dad in the room." She smiled innocently at him. After he nodded for her to continue, she did. "I need you to go to the studio tomorrow and pick up a CD I made for Dad. If I go out as Hannah on one of my days off then he'll get suspicious. I told the producer you or someone else would be picking it up."

"I could do that," Jackson nodded. "Why'd you make Dad a CD?"

"It's for Christmas," Miley explained. "I wrote him a song and he absolutely can't find out until then."

"Sounds like a perfect gift. I'm sure he'll love it."

"Oh, he will," Lilly smiled. "I've heard it."

Jackson chuckled. "Of course you have." He then stood up. "I'll be sure to get it tomorrow. Now I shall go back to the football game." After the girls waved, Jackson left the room.

Lilly, lying on her stomach on Miley's bed, looked up at the brunette. "So, Saturday's the last day of filming the video, right?"

"Yup," Miley sighed, plopping down next to Lilly. "I think they're planning on the premiere to be sometime in January."

"I get to see it early though, right?" Lilly asked, batting her eyelashes.

"Of course you do, Lils." Miley leaned in, pressing her lips against the blondes. "You always get the special previews."

"Good to know…" Lilly continued to kiss Miley, eventually being pulled on top of her. "M-Miley…" she mumbled against the brunette's lips. "We should stop."

"Why? They can't hear us." Miley grinned up at Lilly.

Lilly laughed, sitting up. "That's not the point. We should visit with Jackson more. I mean, he just got here. It's the least we could do."

"I suppose," Miley dramatically sighed.

"Come on drama queen." Lilly stood up, smiling, and helped her girlfriend to her feet as well. Together, they made their way downstairs.

-----

A few hours have passed and now the two siblings were battling each other at a game of Guitar Hero. Lilly cheered Miley on, getting plenty of playful glares from Jackson in the process. "Stop glaring at me," laughed Lilly. "Miley's so kicking your butt at this."

"Not by much…" Jackson defended himself, concentrating very hard on what he was doing.

"I'm still winning," Miley gloated.

Lilly smiled, keeping her focus on the back of Miley's jeans. They were both standing up so she had a great view of Miley's butt.

Suddenly, the house phone rang. Robbie quickly walked down the stairs to answer. "Hello? Yes, this is… Sure, hold on." He walked over to the kitchen so he could hear better.

_"I do hope I'm not interrupting your day, Robbie," _Mr. Halvison spoke.

"Not at all." Robbie smiled as he watched his two children. "What can I do for you?"

_"Well, we have a bit of a dilemma. There's a meeting I need you to be at but it's on Saturday; the final day of shooting Hannah's video. Is there any way you can make it?"_

"Oh, don't worry 'bout that," Robbie replied. "Hannah can drive herself to the video shoot. I'll be able to come to the meeting."

_"You're a life saver, Robbie. I'll see you Saturday then."_

"Yup, sure thing. Bye." Robbie hung up and walked over to put the phone back. Then, he leaned himself against the couch, waiting until his daughter was done with the song to tell her the news.

"Yes!" Miley happily shouted. "I won!" She then started doing a victory dance, which Lilly happily watched as she swayed her hips back and forth.

"Brat," Jackson teased, sitting down on the couch a space away from Lilly.

"Great job, bud," Robbie commented. "That was Mr. Halvison on the phone. I have to go to a meeting on Saturday, so you'll have to drive yourself to the video shoot."

"Oh, okay," Miley shrugged. "No biggie."

"Okie dokie, sounds like that's settled then. I think I'm gonna go out for a quick jog. I didn't get a chance to earlier."

"Gonna have pie afterwards?" Jackson smirked knowingly.

"I always deserve pie afterwards," Robbie replied, trying to defend himself. With that, he made his way out the door for his jog.

Miley rolled her eyes before looking over at her brother, holding on to Lilly at the same time. "So, any ideas on what to do tonight?"

"Ohh, I vote on scary movies!" Jackson suggested enthusiastically.

"Great idea!" Miley smiled. "That way I can cling onto Lilly." The two girls smiled and leaned in for a short kiss.

Jackson playfully rolled his eyes. "Like I want to see that."

"Too bad," Miley cheekily responded.

Within the next couple of minutes, the three of them eventually agreed on a movie- Amityville Horror- popped it in, and settled in for a relaxing movie night. Jackson glanced over to see Miley nuzzled into Lilly, a content smile on her face, and Lilly's arms wrapped protectively around her. Even though he teased the two of them, playfully of course, he would always be happy for them. Sighing, Jackson's mind wondered to his own girlfriend. He could only hope that his relationship with Rachel would end up like Miley and Lilly's. They were so in love and so happy. It was everything he wanted…

-----

'_I wanna love like Johnny and June  
Rings of fire burnin' with you  
I wanna walk the line,  
Walk the line,  
'Till the end of time  
I wanna love,  
Love ya that much  
Cash it all in,  
Give it all up,  
And when you're gone  
I wanna go, too  
Like Johnny and June'_

-Johnny and June (Heidi Newfield)

**Ugh, that is so short! Lol As you can tell, I don't like doing that. But, it had to be for this. Anyways, this chapter brought Jackson in, so that's important. Good news though, is that I should be updating a lot quicker this time, since I have already started writing out the next part. Hope you enjoyed, and thanks for reading. Please leave a review, they always reassure me that people are actually reading this lol. :-D  
P.S. My sequel to "This Is The Life" is up as well. I'd like to thank anyone who reviewed it, it means a lot :) If you haven't checked out "TITL" or the sequel then you should if you want. I love hearing from new people.**


	6. I Don't Want to Miss a Thing

**Hey everyone! Here I am with a new update :) Sorry it took a little while, but this chapter is really long, so it took a while to write. I wanted to make sure this chapter was written well. It is pretty much a two in one deal here lol. I would like to thank everyone who reviewed the last chapter and hope you (along with others perhaps) to review this time around. Thanks again, and enjoy! :)**

**Also, I would like to say to _Sky Montana _that I'm glad you enjoy the story. These first few chapters are just set up ones to show the love between Miley and Lilly before the big main part of the story actually takes place. I tried leaving hints on things to build up the storyline. Hope that helps :)  
**

Chapter 6- I Don't Want to Miss a Thing

_**---Friday---**_

It was around 9:30 in the morning when Miley stirred from a peaceful slumber. The wonderful sight of Lilly sleeping soundly next to her warmed her heart as it always did. Carefully, she reached her left hand out to gently sweep her soft blonde hair away from her closed eyelids. With a soft smile, Miley leaned in and placed a chaste kiss on the corner of Lilly's mouth; her hand sliding into her hair. She continued to stay in this position, face pressed against Lilly's cheek, until the blonde woke up several minutes later.

Nearly fifteen minutes later, Lilly woke to the feeling of a soft hand gently caressing her cheek. A small smile played out across her face as she adjusted herself to cuddle more into Miley. She could stay like this forever.

"Mornin' my love," Miley whispered into her lover's ear.

"Mornin'," Lilly croaked out sleepily. "How long have you been awake?"

"Fifteen minutes about." Their positions continued to stay the same; neither of them wanting to move a muscle.

When Lilly felt like she was awake enough, she turned her head up and kissed Miley's chin. "You could've gotten up to get something to eat," she said while wrapping her arm around Miley's waist.

"I know," Miley smiled. "But I was happy with cuddling with you. I didn't want to leave."

"Aww," Lilly cooed. "Well, I'm glad you stayed because I love waking up in your arms."

Smiling, Miley closed the very small gap between them and slowly kissed Lilly. Knowing that her father and brother were home, she tried her best at controlling her hormones. Miley was going to spend the night at Lilly's house tonight, so they would have plenty of time for that later. Once arousal started stinging at her lower abdomen, Miley pulled back. "We so need to stop before, well…yea," she blushed.

"Before we have hot, crazy animal sex?"

"Lilly!" Miley yelped in surprise. She grabbed her pillow and threw it down onto the blonde.

Lilly, laughing hysterically, pointed at Miley. "Your face is _so _red!"

"You're mean!" Miley couldn't help but laugh as well. Her girlfriend's laughter was contagious.

"Would it help if I apologized?" she asked, giving her the best innocent look she could come up with without bursting out in laughter.

"Oh I suppose." Miley then nuzzled in close to Lilly again. "So, anyways… What do you want to do today?"

"Nice change of subject, Miles," she teased. "But, um… I donno, maybe hang out somewhere with everyone?"

"Sounds perfect." They both hopped out of bed, stretching out all their kinks, and then dug out clothes to wear for the day.

Miley chose white shorts and a dark blue t-shirt to go with it. She added her usual bracelets, rings, and a necklace. Lilly wore her favorite faded jeans, a cute turquoise top, and her favorite diamond heart necklace Miley had gotten her on their one year anniversary. She, in return, gave Miley a sterling silver charm bracelet. Thinking about it always brought a smile to her face.

The girls ventured downstairs to see Jackson slipping on his black blazer jacket. "Hey you two," he greeted with a smile.

"Hey," Miley smiled back. "Heading out?"

"Yup. I'm going to pick up the CD for you. Dad's out on a jog and I'll be back in like, an hour or so."

"Sounds great. Thanks again, Jackson," she said heartily.

"No problem. See you guys in a little while." He then grabbed his keys and headed out the door.

With a smile still in tact, Miley turned towards the kitchen to see that Lilly had already started getting food ready. "Hungry?" she laughed.

Looking up from the eggs, Lilly replied, "Of course, and I know you are too." They shared a genuine smile.

"You know me all too well," Miley informed while heading over to the refrigerator. Together they made a wonderful breakfast where they spent time talking over what they were going to do that day.

Some time later, Robbie Ray had returned from his morning jog and joined the girls for breakfast. From there, they all watched TV while Robbie and Miley discussed the music video Miley would be finishing the next day. Time went by and before Miley even realized how much time had gone by, Jackson had returned from the record company. Luckily he had hid the CD with his blazer.

"Hey, son." Robbie raised a curious eyebrow. "You look fancy."

"Um…" he stalled. "I just wanted to look nice today." He smiled innocently. Miley and Lilly both rolled their eyes; amused.

"No harm in that I suppose." Clapping his hands together, Robbie stood up. "So, what are you kids up to today? I have to get prepared for a business meeting I have tomorrow."

"We were thinking a day at the beach and mall and stuff," replied Miley. "We invited Joannie and Oliver." She turned to face her brother. "And you're invited too of course."

"I better be," he grinned.

"Well, have fun today then and be careful," Robbie warned.

Jackson sighed in mock annoyance. "We will, pops."

"It's all a father can ask for," he said before jogging up the stairs.

"Okay," Miley started, hopping to her feet. "Let's all get ready for the beach and go."

Jackson nodded, pulling out the CD from his blazer. "Here's your CD, Miles."

"Thanks," she smiled. Then they all headed up the stairs to change for the beach.

-----

Oliver's sides hurt from laughing with his girlfriend. She had just spilled her water all over Rico and now the two were laughing hysterically. Leaving his current worker in charge for a little while, Rico stomped off, mumbling to himself, to his house to change clothes. Right after he left, Miley, Lilly, and Jackson arrived. "Hey guys," greeted Lilly.

"Hey," Oliver laughed. "You missed it; Joannie totally spilled water all over Rico. It was awesome!"

"And an accident." Joannie took in several deep breaths, trying to calm her laughter.

"Ah man," Jackson chuckled. "That's nothing like the time I threw up all over him."

"Um, ew!!" Miley yelled. "You are so disgusting."

"One of my many talents." With a smile, he ordered some nachos.

Miley also ordered nachos for her and Lilly to share. Once they all got what they wanted, they wandered over to one of the nearby blue tables and sat down. Lilly just sat on Miley's lap since there weren't enough chairs available for all of them. Not that they minded.

It was a nice October day and they were all just happy to not be stuck in school. For the next several minutes they ate, laughed, and talked. Oliver looked over at his two best friends who were looking lovingly into each other's eyes as they spoke to one another, and smiled. Slowly, so neither Miley nor Lilly would notice, he pulled out his digital camera; taking a very cute picture of the two.

Lilly's head snapped up. "What was that, Oken?" she said in a serious matter.

He couldn't help but smirk. "Oh, nothing…"

Joannie snatched the camera from Oliver. "Let me see… Aww!" she gasped. "That picture's adorable!"

"Ohh, ohh, lemme see!" Miley gushed, reaching her free hand out for the camera. After Joannie handed it to her, she and Lilly looked at the small display screen. "Aww…" Miley smiled. "Email me this tonight, okay?"

"Me too," Lilly requested softly.

"See, I knew you'd like it." Miley handed the camera back to him and he stuck it into the pockets of his dark cargo shorts. "Okay, so… let's go do something!" He smiled.

"Anyone up for surfing?" Joannie suggested. Both Lilly and Oliver's faces lit up. "I'll take that as a yes?"

"You bet," Lilly happily replied.

Miley looked over at her brother. "Are you surfing too?"

"Nah," he shrugged. "I'll sit with you since you can't surf."

They were all walking towards the water now after renting out a couple of surfboards from Rico's. Lilly glanced over at Jackson. "I _tried _teaching her," she teased.

Miley sent a playful glare to the blonde. "I didn't do that badly. Besides, you had fun despite my lack of ability to stay on that darn thing," she said, pointing at the object tucked under Lilly's right arm.

"Yea, it was pretty fun." Smiling, Lilly laced her fingers with Miley's; using her free hand.

When they reached the shore, Miley pulled out a big beach towel for her and Lilly and couldn't help but watch as Lilly stripped down to her swimsuit. Green was definitely her color…

"Stop drooling, Stewart." Joannie gave her a knowing smile.

"She can drool all she wants," Lilly spoke up after seeing the light blush on Miley's cheeks. She stood right in front of Miley now. "Just like I can with you. Now strip."

Jackson started making gagging noises, earning a smack upside the head by his sister. "Shut it, Jackson," she warned while taking off her blue shirt and her shorts. Her face started warming up again from the intense stare Lilly was giving her.

"Hmm… I don't know if I'll be able to concentrate on surfing now." Lilly smiled.

"Oh just go," Miley laughed, nudging Lilly in the direction of the water. Her eyes never left Lilly as she ran off after Oliver and Joannie, diving into the water.

After Miley sat down on her towel, Jackson glanced over at her. "I seriously don't know anyone more in love than you two."

She smiled. "Thanks… I just can't wait until we can move in together. Then I'll be able to see her _all _the time."

"It already seems like you two live together; you're around each other pretty much all the time." Jackson pulled out his sunglasses and sun block, applying some to his face, arms, legs, and chest. "Want some?" he asked, holding the bottle out for Miley.

"I'll wait until Lilly gets back. She's the best at applying sun block all over my body." Teasing her brother by making him slightly uncomfortable was one of the many things Miley enjoyed doing.

"Sick!" he joked back. They both shared a smile before flopping backwards onto their own towels.

Sometime later, about a half hour, out in the water, Lilly had just finished with a very impressive wave. She almost lost control of her balance when a sudden feeling of dread dropped into the pit of her stomach. Turning her attention back to the shoreline she saw that Miley was perfectly fine; throwing sand at Jackson. But something just didn't feel right, and she didn't know why.

"Lilly that was amazing!" Oliver praised. When Lilly didn't say anything, or look up at him, he became concerned. "What's up? You look kinda lost…"

"I… I don't know," she confusingly replied. "I think I'm just…gonna go back over to Miley, okay?"

Oliver nodded slowly. "Okay… Do you feel alright?"

"Y-Yea," she stumbled over her words. "I just want to be with Miley right now is all. See ya when you're done surfing…" With that said, Lilly started paddling back to shore.

"Jackson!" Miley yelled after he tossed sand right at her chest. "Now I have sand stuck all over my boobs!"

"Whoa, don't say such words." His face was scrunched up.

Miley was about to say the word louder until she noticed Lilly walking towards her. "Hey, Lils," she beamed. "Getting tired?"

Instead of talking, Lilly replied by dropping to her knees in front of Miley, placing both hands onto Miley's cheeks and pulled her in for a searing kiss. After the slight shock wore off, Miley kissed back with just as much passion. They broke apart, breathing heavily. "…Something wrong, Lil?" Miley's voice was thick with concern. Something was obviously bothering her Lilly.

"I-I don't know," she whispered. "I just want to be with you."

"Okay, that's fine…" She didn't want to push on the issue, so Miley just held Lilly close to her; running her left hand through Lilly's soaked hair.

Whatever unsettling feeling that had washed over Lilly in the water disappeared the moment Miley had pulled her into a hug. Letting out a low sigh, she relaxed against the warm brunette. She, Miley, and Jackson spent the rest of the time watching Joannie and Oliver surf. Before too long, though, the two returned to shore and joined their friends on the sand to dry in the head of the sun. Lilly smiled as she watched Oliver drape a towel around Joannie's shoulders. They were such an amazing couple and she really hoped they would make it through this time around.

-----

The rest of the day seemed to slip by them with ease. After drying off, Oliver suggested a friendly game of Frisbee, which everyone happily agreed to. Miley had a lot of trouble catching the Frisbee and earned a good laugh out of her girlfriend and brother. Lilly had teased her far more often which ended with Miley chasing her down the beach; leaving the game. She eventually caught up with Lilly and tackled her to the ground. "Eeeep!" yelped Lilly.

Miley kept her arms around her, laughing. "You keep forgetting that I'm a good runner."

"No," huffed Lilly, "I just keep hoping that I'll get faster… No such luck."

Leaning down, Miley pressed her lips to Lilly's; slowly kissing her. "How about," she smiled, "we all head back to my house for dinner and then you can help me pack to spend the night at your house. Alone…" She slid her fingertips across Lilly's smooth, toned stomach, causing her to shiver with excitement.

"O-Okay," Lilly squeaked. Her eyes fluttered shut as Miley, once again, closed the gap between them for a kiss. After a few minutes a flash of light startled them back to the rest of the world.

"Ohh, sexy," joked Oliver. He held his camera up with a smirk playing across his face.

"As cute as you two are," Jackson started, "I really don't want to see you making out on top of each other half naked. Let's go get some food, shall we?"

The girls scrambled off each other and stood up; brushing sand off their bodies. "At least tonight you won't be able to stop me from crawling all over Lilly," Miley said while wrapping an arm around her girlfriend's waist.

"Eeew! Shut up!" Jackson covered his ears.

A light laugh escaped Lilly. She found it absolutely adorable that Miley could be so bold talking about their sex life around her brother but around others she'd want to crawl into a hole and hide forever. "I love you," she whispered.

Miley simply smiled. "Love you too…"

-----

Oliver groaned as he pushed his plate away from him on the Stewart's dining table. "If I eat anymore food I'm going to explode," he sighed out while rubbing his full stomach.

"Dinner was delicious, Mr. Stewart," Joannie complemented with a smile of satisfaction.

"Thank you, Joannie," he returned a smile. "I think it's safe to say that Lilly had plenty to eat." All heads turned to said blonde, whose head was leaning against Miley's shoulder, looking absolutely stuffed.

"Not my fault you know how to cook up a piece of Heaven," she grunted out.

"It's always nice to be appreciated." Robbie stood up, gathering up some dirty dishes. "Are you packed for tonight and tomorrow, Miles?"

"Almost done," Miley replied. "Just have to get Hannah stuff together."

"Sounds good." Robbie and Jackson continued doing the dishes while Miley, Lilly, Oliver, and Joannie headed towards the door.

"Today was so much fun," Joannie spoke.

"Sure was," Oliver smiled. "Hate to break off all the fun, but if Joannie and I are going to make it to the movie, we need to get going."

"Hey, no worries," Miley shrugged. "Lilly and I want to head out to her place soon anyways." She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, getting a good laugh from the brunette boy.

"We'll see you guys later. Good luck tomorrow." Oliver pulled Miley into a big bear hug.

"Thanks," she smiled, hugging him back tightly. Lilly soon joined in, not being able to resist.

"Have fun you two," Lilly called out as her two friends started walking towards Oliver's car.

"I'll email you guys' pictures from earlier!" Oliver informed before getting into his car. After waving goodbye, he drove off out of the driveway and towards town.

Shutting the door, Miley took Lilly's hand into her own. "Come on, let's get my stuff together so we can head out and have a little fun of our own," she growled into Lilly's ear.

A soft whimper was the only response Lilly could give her. Smirking, Miley took Lilly up the stairs and into her bedroom.

It only took Miley about twenty minutes to gather and pack all of her Hannah supplies. Right as she was zipping up her 'Hannah' bag, Jackson casually strolled into the room. "So," he said to Lilly, "you're stealing my baby sis tonight, huh?"

"Yup," she replied with a gleam in her eyes. "Oh, and trust me, she's not so much your _baby _sister. She's all grown up." Lilly wiggled her eyebrows.

"Ugh, stop talking about having sex!" Jackson yelled jokingly.

"Stop saying that word out loud!" Miley whisper-yelled. After getting innocent smiles from both Lilly and Jackson, she picked up both of her overnight bags. "Before the two of you decide to embarrass me further, let's get going."

Lilly gave Jackson a high-five, and then they both followed Miley back downstairs.

Robbie waited as Miley slipped on her light jacket before pulling her into a hug. "Promise me you won't stay up too late tonight, okay? I wouldn't want you to be late to the last video shoot."

"I promise," she laughed while returning the hug. "I'm capable of doing this, old man." Miley looked up at her father with a radiant smile on her face that always reached her beautiful blue eyes.

"Yea, I know, bud…" Robbie pulled her close one more time. A part of him didn't want to let go, and he wasn't sure what brought that on. He's let Miley sleep over at Lilly's a hundred times over, even after he knew what they have been doing while dating. After a moment he let go. "Have fun."

"We will. See you guys tomorrow," Miley said after giving Jackson a quick hug. "Bye!"

Lilly waved goodbye to the Stewart men as she followed Miley out of the house. Then they loaded up Miley's car and took off towards Lilly's house.

-----

Miley tossed her two suitcases on the right side of Lilly's bed where she usually slept. Lilly, on the other hand, sat on her bed and looked up at Miley in wonderment. When Miley turned she couldn't help but smile. "Whatcha lookin' at?"

"Sit down and I'll tell you," replied Lilly, smiling. Miley did as she said and Lilly scooted right next to the brunette; holding her close. "Someone so beautiful that I can hardly stand it…" she whispered lovingly.

"Oh, Lilly…" Miley closed her eyes, resting her forehead against Lilly's while softly caressing her lover's arms. "I love you so, so much…"

"I love you too…" Lilly's hands dug into Miley's soft curls, pulling her in for a sensual kiss. "Right now…I need to show you how much," she panted between kisses.

"Please do…" moaned Miley.

Without breaking the kiss, Lilly gently pushed Miley down onto her mattress and eagerly crawled her way on top. She straddled Miley's hips with her own legs and her hands went to her upper sides, close to her breasts. Getting a satisfied moan from Miley encouraged her to continue. Her hands snaked their way up Miley's blue top. "Something tells me to never let you go," she spoke softly against Miley's neck before lightly sucking on the smooth skin.

"Y-You never have to…" They continued kissing and slowly started to undress each other. Each time new skin was exposed they would both give it either a gentle kiss or give it extra attention by sucking on it. Miley's nails dug into Lilly's back, her breath hitching, as Lilly slid the brunette's jeans off, kissing her stomach in the process. At that moment, she wanted nothing more than to feel every single inch of her beloved Lilly.

It didn't take much longer after that to rid of the rest of their clothing. Several messy piles of shirts, shorts, jeans, panties, bras, etc. confirmed that. Breathing heavily, Lilly settled herself above Miley. Even though she has seen her girlfriend like this many times before, something about this moment seemed different- more special. Miley's blue eyes gazed into her own. It was all so breath taking. Lilly reconnected her lips with Miley's and they both surrendered over to the other with love.

Soft whimpers and pleads echoed in the room as they made love to each other. They were slow and gentle at first, wanting to make this moment last as long as possible. Lilly took it all in- the beautiful noises, Miley's scent, the way their bodies fit together so perfectly, the feeling of Miley's hair covering her as she buried her face into the crook of her neck, and, most importantly, the sound and feel of Miley's racing heart beat. All too soon, though, both their bodies started quivering. "M-Miley…" Lilly loudly moaned.

Miley, in return, whimpered out Lilly's name over and over, not being able to control herself any longer. It was that simple gesture that surged the girls over the edge and into a state of ecstasy. Lilly collapsed on top of Miley, letting out a shaky, satisfied breath. Smiling, Miley wrapped her arms around Lilly's sweaty, exhausted body. Soft blonde hair covered Miley's hands as her fingers combed their way through. "My Lilly…" she softly whispered.

With her eyes still closed, Lilly smiled. Nothing could ever compare to moments like this. "My Miley… Forever." Once her body relaxed itself, Lilly lifted herself up with the palms of her hands and, without saying another word, leaned down once again to express her undying love to Miley.

-----

Many hours later, a little after one in the morning, the girls were found huddled together under the covers, completely spent. Sleep was quickly taking over Lilly and she wasn't fond of the idea of falling asleep quite yet.

"Get some sleep, hun. I'm not going anywhere." Miley smiled lovingly, her own eyes heavy with sleep.

"I don't want to…" Lilly yawned. "Tonight's been so amazing. I don't want it to end yet…"

"I know, I don't want it to either." She leaned in, closing the small gap between them and kiss Lilly lightly on the lips. Holding her close, Miley started singing softly to Lilly-

'_Close your eyes and I'll kiss you,  
Tomorrow I'll miss you;  
Remember I'll always be true.  
And then while I'm away,  
I'll write home every day,  
and I'll send all my loving to you._

_I'll pretend that I'm kissing  
the lips I am missing  
and hope that my dreams will come true.  
And then while I'm away,  
I'll write home every day,  
and I'll send all my loving to you._

_All my loving I will send to you.  
All my loving, darling I'll be true…'_

Miley's soft, soothing voice lulled Lilly into a peaceful slumber almost instantly. Lilly looked so content; Miley couldn't tear her eyes away. Her thoughts ran wild whiel she carefully tucked a strand of Lilly's hair behind her ear. Carefully, so she wouldn't wake her, Miley sat up and reached for one of Lilly's notebooks lying on the nightstand. For the next few minutes, Miley thought out and wrote her feelings she had for Lilly in a short love letter. The urge to write had been too great to ignore. Once Miley was satisfied with what she had written, she tore it out slowly, folded it in half, and wrote 'Lilly' on the front of the page. Keeping her eyes on Lilly, Miley reached out and placed the note on the nightstand. Although, she didn't see that it floated down to the floor, almost under the bed.

"Goodnight my love…" After kissing Lilly on the corner of her mouth, she finally settled in for the night. Side by side, wrapped up in each others love, the girls slept with ease, each dreaming of the other. This was their Heaven.

**-----**

'_**I don't wanna miss one smile  
I don't wanna miss one kiss  
I just wanna be with you  
Right here with you, just like this  
I just wanna hold you close  
Feel your heart so close to mine  
And just stay here in this moment  
For all the rest of time…'**_

"_I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" – Aerosmith_

_**-----**_

**I seriously think that is the longest chapter I have ever written lol. Anyways, hope you liked it :) This is a VERY important chapter. I will try to update as soon as I can. It's been tough with Holiday's and Holiday shopping going on, and school work. I will be working on the next update to "This Is The Dream", but I will still try to get this done soon as well. I don't mean to take so long between updates, but I get pretty busy with things, so bear with me :) Please review, I always love them. Thanks for reading!!**


	7. How Do I Live

**Hey everyone! It is now Christmas Eve so I will say Happy Holidays to everyone! I almost didn't post this chapter cos of what day it is, but I decided to. My other story hasn't gotten many reviews so let's see if you can help me out on this one :) It would be awesome.  
Oh, and tonight (technically yesterday since it's 2 a.m.) I saw the new Chipmunk movie and it was AWESOME! :) I love those little guys. If the Chipmunks don't annoy the hell out of you, you should totally see the movie, lol.  
Anyways, on with the story!**

Chapter 7- How Do I Live

Saturday morning found the two girls sound asleep in one another's arms. The alarm clock set on Miley's phone turned to 9:30 a.m. setting off the shrillful beeping noise to disturb their slumber. Groaning, Miley reached her hand out behind her, not wanting to move away from Lilly, and grabbed her cell. She opened one tired eye to shut it off. Miley didn't want to work today. At all. Why would she when her beautiful Lilly was right next to her in a warm bed looking so blissful? "Lilly?" Miley spoke softly, running her thumb over Lilly's bottom lip.

Lilly's lips curled into a smile. "Miley…" she mumbled out softly.

"It's time to wake up." Miley continued to smile. Lilly was so cute. "You promised to help me get ready."

Lilly reluctantly opened her eyes. Sleep was still evident but she still smiled wholeheartedly at Miley. "I know," she yawned. "It's still a shame I can't have you all to myself today."

"Trust me; I'd rather be here with you. But after today my video will be finished," she smiled.

Understanding, Lilly nodded before sitting up and stretching, followed my Miley. "Alright, Miles, let's get you ready. When do you have to leave again?"

"I have to leave the house by eleven. It might take me a while to get to the studio." Both girls wondered into Lilly's bathroom to brush out their hair. Lilly took the brush into her hands and rand it through Miley's long tousled hair. "Mmm…" Miley sighed in appreciation. "I love it when you brush my hair."

"And I love doing so," the blonde happily replied. After she finished with Miley's hair a couple of minutes later the girls switched and now Miley worked through Lilly's extremely soft hair. Once their hair was taken care of they each brushed their teeth, washed their faces, and the other necessities. "Are you going to take a shower?" Lilly asked while tying her hair up in a high ponytail, letting a few strands of her hair hanging loose to frame her face.

"Nah," Miley answered after a short while. "I'm just going to get all sweaty again," she smirked.

Giggling, Lilly picked up some of Miley's vanilla scented lotion she kept there. "Wanna use this then just in case?"

"Yes please," Miley said in a child-like manner, causing Lilly to laugh once again.

"I'll go set out your Hannah clothes for you while you freshen up a bit," Lilly spoke as she walked back into her room.

"Thanks Hun!" Miley hollered back as she applied some lotion to her already bare skin.

Five minutes later, Lilly had Miley's outfit laid out for her on her bed and looked it over. Miley suddenly appeared by her side. "Your outfit awaits you, Ms. Montana," Lilly said in a bad English accent.

"Why thank you, Ms. Truscott," Miley giggled out.

While Miley changed into her Hannah clothes, Lilly changed into a pair of her favorite turquoise sweats, a white t-shirt, and a zip-up hoodie that matched the sweats. All Miley had left to do was put her wig on over her hair, which was up in a messy bun. She would put the wig on after switching into a limo in L.A. Now that they were dressed, they both headed downstairs to the kitchen to make themselves breakfast.

-----

Lilly put her dishes into the sink as she glared at the clock on the oven. It was almost eleven which meant her Miley had to leave for work. "Stupid time moving forward…" she mumbled.

"Don't be so down, Lils," Miley smiled, wrapping her arms around Lilly's waist. "It'll be a good day for Hannah. This video is high on demand."

"I can't wait to see it when it's ready." Lilly relaxed into Miley's loving embrace. "I wish I could come with you…"

"Me too." She then placed a kiss on Lilly's temple. "I'll text you when I get there, okay?"

"Okay…" She smiled and then followed Miley to the door.

"Here," Miley started as she took out her favorite purple sharpie pen from her purse. She then took Lilly's left hand into her own and drew a little purple heart on the space below her index finger and thumb. "Now I'll be with you all day."

Lilly bit her bottom lip. "You are so amazing, Miles…" She leaned in to press her lips to the brunette's. "Have fun today, alright?"

"I will…" Miley warmly smiled. "I love you."

"Love you too…" Lilly watched Miley shut the door behind her. Fighting off an uneasy feeling in her gut, Lilly pulled out her cell phone to make plans with Oliver for the day. It would be a lot better than sitting around at home by herself all day.

-----

Some time later, Miley finally made it to the underground parking garage where the limo was waiting for her. She quickly pulled her hood up to cover her brown locks, grabbed her bag and purse, and opened her door. After shutting and locking her car, she hopped into the limo and thanked the driver. From there she placed her Hannah wig on and relaxed for the rest of the drive to the studio.

It didn't take much longer for her to arrive at the studio that waited for her arrival. Once again, as usual of course, the limo driver stepped out and around to open the door for the well loved Hannah Montana. Paparazzi stood outside, flashing their cameras left from right, as she casually made her way inside.

"Hannah!" the director's assistant, Mrs. Wright, smiled brightly at her. "It's so nice to see you here early."

"Didn't want to be late," she replied smiling.

"And that's one of the many things we love about you. Anyways, you're due in makeup soon so see you in a few."

"Thanks." Hannah then wondered her way over to the makeup artists. She was just thrilled filming would end today. As she sat there getting her makeup done, she sent a quick text to Lilly to let her know she had made there.

-----

Oliver plopped down on the bench next to Lilly. The two were currently at the skate park having quality time together. "What's up, Lil?" he gently asked. "You haven't really been into skating that much today."

"I donno…" she shrugged.

"You've been acting strange lately. Something going on with you and Miley?" Oliver was nothing but concerned. He could always tell when something was bothering his two friends.

"No," she smiled. "I'm not quite sure what it is really. But you don't have to worry at all. Things are beyond great with me and Miley." Another smile appeared as she looked down at the drawn purple heart on her hand. Lilly now debated with herself on if she should tell Oliver about the ring or not. He'd be the last person she told before the big moment, but at the same time she wanted him to be surprised right along with everyone else. Suddenly her phone beeped; interrupting her thoughts. She quickly took it out of her pocket and saw she got her text from Miley.

_'Got here nice n' early. Hopefully I can leave early too so I can spend the rest of the evening in your arms. Love always, Miley.'_

Oliver noticed the smile on the blonde's face. "From Miley I take it?"

"Yup," she happily sighed, putting her phone away. "She really didn't want to work today."

"It's the last video shoot, she should be thrilled." Oliver stood up onto his skateboard again. "Come on, skating alone gets boring. Let's hit the half pipe."

Smiling, Lilly clipped her helmet back into place and hopped onto her board. "Winner buys ice cream!" she hollered as she skated off.

"I didn't say it was a competition!" Oliver whined as he chased after her.

-----

A couple of hours later Robbie Ray finally returned home from the very long meeting he had that morning. It was now close to three in the afternoon and he was absolutely exhausted. Robbie walked into his house to find his son watching TV on the couch. "Hey, Jackson," he tiredly greeted.

"Hi, Dad," Jackson replied. "You look beat," he chuckled after seeing his father.

"I sure as heck am. Luckily they didn't need me at the studio where Miley's at." Robbie then leaned back next to Jackson and closed his tired eyes.

"Yea, somebody needs his nap," Jackson spoke as if he were talking to a toddler.

"If I weren't so darn tired I'd smack you upside the head," he smirked.

"Then it's my lucky day." Smiling, Jackson turned back to his program.

Not too much longer after Robbie dozed off there was a knock at the door. Jackson turned to see Lilly waving at him and Oliver looking like he was in pain. Curious, he got up to open the door. "What's up with him?" he asked Lilly while pointing at Oliver.

"The dork decided not to wear knee pads while skating the bowl and fell right on his knees. Your house was closest. Can we get a band-aid pad?" Lilly asked.

"Yea, sure." Jackson closed the door after the two got inside. "I think there's some in Miley's bathroom."

"Thank you. Come on dork," Lilly laughed, pulling Oliver with her up the stairs.

"Slow down!" he yelped. "My knee is in pain here!"

"…Wow." Jackson couldn't help but laugh. Since he was bored with watching TV, he set up a video game they could all play. Right when he finished setting it up, Lilly and Oliver returned downstairs. "Hey, since you guys are here, wanna play some Mario Kart?"

"Ooh, challenging me to a game I'm really good at? You're brave, Jackson," Oliver smirked.

"You're brave for taking on the challenge." Jackson tossed him a controller.

Rolling her eyes, Lilly sat on the chair and watched in amusement as the two boys raced each other. It was shocking that Robbie could still sleep through all of the ruckus. He must be _really _tired.

She glanced at the clock to see that Miley wouldn't be home for a little while yet, so she settled herself into the chair and continued watching the race displayed on the big TV. It was nice to relax after skateboarding all afternoon…

-----

"And that's a wrap!" the director shouted out to the entire crew. "Amazing work, Hannah!"

"Thank you," Hannah breathed out. She took her water bottle from the assistant director, thanking her right away. "I'm so tired but so happy it's finally finished."

"So are we dear," Mrs. Wright beamed. "You can go freshen up in the dressing room before you leave if you would like."

"That would be great, thanks." Hannah walked down the hallway, water bottle in hand, and walked into her dressing room. All she wanted was to go home.

Miley placed her wig back on after she washed her face and smiled. It wasn't much, but the washcloth did make her feel better. She then opened her phone to check the time and couldn't help but smile lovingly at the photo of Lilly that was used as her wallpaper. Cuddling with Lilly sounded so good at the moment. With that in mind, she put her phone back into her purse, grabbed her sweatshirt and Hannah bag, and walked out to leave. "See y'all later," she said to everyone.

"Have a good night, Hannah," the director replied. "I'll be sure to call you soon to keep you updated."

"You better," she teased. "Have a good evening!" Smiling, she walked outside to find the paparazzi still waiting for her, along with her limo. As quickly as she could, Hannah rushed into the opened door, quickly thanking the driver on her way in. After the door was shut and the tinted windows protected her, she started changing back into Miley.

"Thanks again," Miley smiled. The hood of her sweatshirt hid her brown locks once again until she got back into her own car. With a sigh, she started the engine, pulled down her hood to let her hair loose, and started heading home.

Traffic seemed to be running fairly smoothly and for that Miley was thankful. Humming happily, Miley glanced down to switch songs on her ipod, not noticing what lie ahead of her. Two cars were speeding through traffic, zigzagging between both sides of the road. Miley glanced back up just in time to see one of the cars swerve right in front of her. There was nothing Miley could've done. The last thing she remembered was hearing the sound of her own screams and the head-on collision of both cars…

-----

Robbie Ray had woken up a while ago and decided to make the kids a snack while they played video games. He glanced at the clock for what felt like the hundredth time and sighed when it read 6:24 p.m. He was starting to wonder where Miley was. She should've been back over an hour ago. "Have you heard from Miley yet, Lilly?" he worriedly asked.

"No…" she shakily replied. "Maybe… Maybe traffic's heavy or something."

"Yea, maybe…" Still uncertain, Robbie pressed the speed dial of Miley's number on his cell phone. It rang once and went straight to voice mail. "Where the heck are ya, bud?" he whispered to himself. Now he was really starting to worry. Miley always had her phone on.

Lilly's stomach twisted in knots, making her nauseous. With shaky hands, she sent a text to Miley; praying she'd reply. _'Miles, where are you? Please call me- Lilly.'_

Jackson nearly jumped out of his seat when the house phone ran out; breaking the heavy silence. Robbie picked it up right after the first ring. "Hello??" he answered desperately.

"Hi, is this Robbie Ray Stewart?" the man on the other end asked. Something in his voice seemed off. Something was wrong.

"Y-Yes," he gulped.

"Um…this is Doctor Harvey down at Temple Community Hospital in Los Angeles." Robbie's face paled. "Is Miley Ray Stewart your daughter…?"

Tears stung his eyes. "Yes, sh-she is… What's going on? Where is she??"

"I don't know how to say this but…your daughter was in a horrible car accident… She's in Urgent Care right now getting ready to go into surgery. You should come here as soon as you can… I'm sorry."

Robbie's hand shook as it made its way up to cover his quivering mouth. This couldn't be happening. He wasn't able to hold back his tears any longer as the spilled over; running down his face. "I-I'll be there soon…" He hung up in a daze, not even noticing the worried looks being thrown in his direction.

"Dad… Dad, what's going on??" Jackson panicked.

Lilly's eyes shown with unshed tears as she clung onto Oliver.

Robbie choked down a sob. "Oliver…call your Mom and have her alert other officers that I'm in a hurry… Miley's in the hospital. We need to go- now."

Jackson froze at his father's words. Tears leaked from his eyes. It couldn't be true…

Lilly buried her face into Oliver's chest, letting her body shake with sobs. Oliver quickly called his Mom at her office and told her what Mr. Stewart had told him. She alerted all the cops in Malibu and L.A. He tried as hard as he could to keep his tears at bay. This whole thing was so unreal.

"Come on, we need to go," Robbie instructed as he opened the door. Jackson was the first to rush outside and into his Dad's car.

"Lil, come on." Oliver rubbed her back soothingly. "Everything's going to be fine, okay?" He helped Lilly to her feet and his heart broke at the sight of his best friend. She was completely broken. Oliver wrapped his arm around her shoulder and led her out to the car. Lilly couldn't comprehend anything that was happening. The love of her life was in the hospital and she didn't even know why.

-----

Robbie paced around the waiting room trying to calm his nerves as best as he could. He knew it wouldn't work but he had to do something to keep his mind busy. Miley was still in surgery and he still hasn't been told what exactly happened.

"Mr. Stewart?" Robbie glanced up to see two police officers walking towards him. "I'm Officer Phillips of LAPD and this is my partner, Officer Marsh."

Lilly eyed the two men. Her heart was pounding hard within her chest. She took in a shaky breath knowing why they were here.

"What happened to my baby girl?" Robbie forced out through the lump in his dry throat.

Officer Phillips took off his cap, running his free hand through his short dark hair. "Your daughter had unfortunately crossed paths with a race between two teenage boys. We have them locked up as we speak. They told us they were bored and thought it would be fun to see who could drive down Santa Monica Boulevard the fastest without getting caught…" Officer Phillip's heart grew heavy as he watched Robbie's face pale and his knees start to give out. "The kid who hit your daughter caused a seven car pile-up. He hit her car head on; it's completely totaled… He says he thought he had more room between her car and the next."

Anger flooded through Robbie's system. His only daughter got severely hurt all because two boys got bored. He didn't even realize that his breathing became ragged. "Wh-What about the other people involved?"

"Well, three people- including your daughter- were sent into Urgent Care and the rest just had some minor injuries."

"What's going to happen to those two bastards in jail?" seethed Jackson.

"They're going to court. I can only assume you'll be pressing charges?"

Robbie nodded; too angry to speak. Everyone's attention soon turned to a doctor walking over to them. "Miley Stewart?"

"That's us," Robbie rushed. "How is she??"

"Well, um, I'm Doctor Harvey and Miley's in real critical condition. We're doing everything we can…"

Lilly pushed her way through, not caring that tears were pooling down her cheeks. "P-Please tell me she's going to be okay… She has to be!" she sobbed.

"Honestly," he sighed, "I can't say that she will be… Miley's still in surgery so all we can really do right now is wait. I'm really sorry."

"Sorry?!" yelled Lilly. "You're a doctor!! You're supposed to make sure she'll be okay!"

Robbie quickly held Lilly back. "Lilly, darlin', please calm down," he pleaded through tears.

"I won't calm down until I know that Miley's okay!"

Oliver rushed over to drag Lilly back to her seat. She struggled against him but her knees gave out when she couldn't control herself any longer. Her body shook as Oliver held onto her tightly. "She has to be okay, she just has to!" she sobbed into his chest. Oliver didn't trust his voice anymore so he continued to hold her. He needed to be strong for Lilly right now. Everything was happening so fast he couldn't keep up with it. It was all a big blur to him.

Jackson stood next to his father as they watched Dr. Harvey walk back into the ER. "…Dad? Do you need me to do anything for you?" he asked hoarsely.

"Thanks son…" Robbie whispered, wiping the tears from his eyes. "Just, um…call your Aunt Dolly while I call your Mamaw. They should know what's going on." Jackson nodded numbly and took out his phone. They each called several members of the family to break the terrifying news to them. Mamaw, Aunt Dolly, and Grandma Ruby all said they would be in California as soon as they could- just like Robbie and Jackson knew they would.

Meanwhile, Oliver had called Joannie to fill her in- trying as hard as he could not to break down over the phone. "Is there any way you can come here? I really need you right now." His breath was shaky as he spoke.

"Don't worry, Ollie, I'll be there soon, okay?" Joannie sniffled.

"Okay," he whispered; wiping his eyes. "I'll see you soon… Bye." They both hung up and he turned back to Lilly. Her face was buried in her hands and her body was shaking. He didn't know what to do to make her feel better at all.

"Lilly??" The sudden voice of Heather Truscott broke across the waiting room. When she saw the state her daughter was in she rushed over to scoop her up into her arms. "Shhh… It's going to be okay sweetie…" She rocked Lilly back and forth, running a hand through Lilly's hair. Lilly didn't even care how her mother heard about the accident, she was just grateful she was there with her. "I called your father," Heather continued. "He's on his way here." Tears trickled down Heather's face when Lilly's grip on her blouse tightened.

"I c-c-can't live w-without her," cried Lilly. It crumbled Heather's heart. Lilly prayed with everything she had that she could see Miley and have everything be fine again. Lilly didn't know what she would do if something were to happen to Miley. Miley was her life; her everything. Without Miley around there was nothing to live for…

-----

'_And tell me now  
How do I live without you?  
I want to know  
How do I breathe without you?  
If you ever go  
How do I ever, ever survive?  
How do I  
How do I  
Oh how do I live..?'_

("How Do I Live" – Trisha Yearwood)

-----

**:'(**

This is why I was unsure about posting it now. But I did. Please review. I will update after the Holidays. Thanks for reading- hope you enjoyed it, despite the sadness.


	8. Ready, Set, Don't Go

**For those of you still reading this... Thank you!!! I've been so horrible with updating anything lately. This past "writing break" has been pretty tough though. First, I had a minor case of writers block. Wasn't too serious. But then I recently found out (a couple weeks ago now) that my Grandpa has stage 4 lung cancer. It was hard to take it and so, of course, for a while, I didn't write much. Dealing with that and writing a sad chapter (which was a really really hard chapter to write) was pretty difficult. Then I found out I might have a very minor heart condition (I won't die from it, that's how minor) but, seriously...ugh! Also, I worked very hard on gathering information for this chapter and starting a timeline so I won't screw up anything time-wise. Lots of research went into this, which was taking so long in the first place before all the other stuff happened.**

**Also, I know a lot of you aren't liking what I'm doing to Miley in this story- I don't like it either- but there is a purpose to all of this. I swear. So please bare with me and enjoy as much as you can. I realized it's been like a little over a year now that I started writing this story.... I was hoping to be much further along than this. I'm aweful. So now I bring you the next chapter, which I almost cried while writing. Listening to sad music while writing this wasn't a good idea. Enjoy...**

Chapter 8- Ready, Set, Don't Go

Hours seemed to drag on forever while Miley was in surgery. Once in a while, Dr. Harvey came into the waiting room to discuss Miley's condition to Robbie. Unfortunately, she still wasn't doing well. The devastating car accident caused Miley to break both her legs, a broken left arm, crushed ribs, minor fracture to the nose, a gash to the forehead, sprained neck, and many other minor injuries. The doctors feared there were internal injuries that could not be healed- such as internal bleeding- and therefore had been spending a lot of time to thoroughly look her over.

During that time, Ruby, Dolly, and Ruthie had arrived to the hospital. Ruthie was outraged that they still hadn't finished with her granddaughter when she got there a couple hours after Robbie had talked to her. Dr. Harvey had assured Ruthie, along with the others, that they would be able to see Miley soon.

Aunt Dolly walked over to where Lilly was sitting all by herself in a corner of the room. The poor girl looked so helpless and lost. It was completely heartbreaking. "Hey there, Lilly," she began softly. "Mind if I have a seat?" Lilly nodded in response, not willing to talk. There were a few moments of silence between the two before Dolly spoke again. "Lilly, I'm sure things will be fine."

"They have to be." Lilly choked up. "Why is it t-taking so long…?"

"All of the doctors are doing their best to fix her." Dolly wrapped Lilly into a hug. "We're all worried and we're all praying that Miley will pull out of this."

Lilly couldn't fight the tears that leaked down her distraught face. Suddenly her father was kneeling down in front of her, holding onto a Sprite can. "I got you something to settle your stomach…" Randall's smile was weak but caring. He sadly watched Lilly take the soda with shaky hands. "Hey, um… Mind if I talk to Lilly alone for a second?" Randall asked Dolly.

"Absolutely…" Dolly gave Lilly one last squeeze on the shoulder before standing up to go check on Jackson again.

Sighing heavily, Randall took the space Dolly had left and engulfed his broken daughter in a hug. "Talk to me, kiddo… How you holdin' up?"

"I-I'm not," Lilly shook out. "I just want to see her so I know things will be okay. They have to be, Dad…" Tears continued trickling down her face. "Miley will be let out and while I wait for that day to come, I'll work extra hard to pay off that ring…" Her body started shaking again. It was barely noticeable to Lilly when Randall pulled her in close. "I'm not waiting until our anniversary anymore. I'm going to propose the first day she's back home, safe and s-sound…" Lilly's voice broke out into muffled sobs; burying her face into her father's chest, not noticing that he, too, was softly crying.

At that precise moment, Robbie was pacing back and forth in front of Ruthie and Ruby, both women fighting the urge to cry. "Robbie, sweetie," Ruthie started. "Please sit down son; I'm sure we'll hear something soon."

"Not soon enough…" Robbie pinched the bridge of his nose, eyes tightly shut, to will the tears away.

Jackson looked behind Robbie to see Miley's doctor approaching them. "Dad…" he said weakly while pointing in the other direction.

Robbie looked up and turned to see Dr. Harvey heading over to him. His heart hammered with fear, hope, and anxiety.

"Mr. Stewart, may I have a word with you in private for a moment, please?"

Robbie hesitated but soon followed. "Wh-What's going on?"

Dr. Harvey sighed uneasily, running a free hand through his hair before looking down at Miley's chart in his hand. "Miley's out of surgery now… We spent hours doing our best to stop most of the bleeding that had been occurring, its just…there was only so much we could do. She's fine at the moment, but, I hate to say this, she's most likely not going to make it through the next twenty-four hours… I'm so sorry…"

Nausea coursed through Robbie's body. "N-No… No, there's gotta be more you can do…" Tears leaked from his tired eyes. "Money's not an issue… Please," he pleaded with everything he had left in him.

"We've done everything we could. I'm sorry, Mr. Stewart… You can go in to see her now if you wish to."

The lump in Robbie's throat prevented him from speaking, so he silently nodded and followed Dr. Harvey to the room which held his little girl. His broken little girl. The walk to Miley's room was the longest, in the state of mind he was in, Robbie has ever taken. How was he going to take seeing Miley in such fatal condition? Dr. Harvey stopped at Room 234, sadly smiling to the man next to him, before slowly pushing the door open. "Miley's sleeping at the moment, just to warn you. I figured you'd still want to be with her."

"Thank you, Doctor…" Robbie's voice was hoarse. Bracing himself, he took a step through the opened door. The moment he saw his daughter his heart stopped. Everything stopped. Everything but the tears. "Oh God," he cried, quickly rushing to her side. A bandage wrapped around her head and nose with stitches etched out beneath her right eye. A neck brace was in place along with a cast on her left arm and both her legs. Miley's pale skin was coated with harsh bruises in several different places.

"Honestly, Mr. Stewart, Miley's lucky to be alive right now. It would have been expected of her to have died on the scene…" Dr. Harvey let the information sink in for Robbie before continuing. "I'll give you time alone now."

After Dr. Harvey left the room Robbie let his resolve down. Sobs shook his entire body, burying his face into Miley's left shoulder. He prayed with everything in him that he could at least have one more chance to speak to her again. Mostly, he prayed that this was all just a horrible nightmare.

-----

Nearly an hour or so later, Miley struggled to open her eyes. Blurred vision engulfed her and she couldn't figure out where she was. The last thing she remembered was seeing a car racing directly at her. Sharp pain overpowered her, causing a staggered groan to release her sore throat.

"Dad! Dad! Miley's awake!" came an excited, anxious voice. Miley recognized it as Jackson, but she still struggled to see clearly.

"Miley! Miles, can you hear me??" Robbie gently caressed her discolored cheek.

No words came out when Miley tried to speak. After seeing her wince in pain, Jackson grabbed the cup of water he had placed on the windowsill and carefully helped his little sister drink some. The cool liquid slid down Miley's throat with some difficulty, but it felt Heavenly. "D-Daddy…" she croaked out painfully.

"I'm here, bud, I'm here…" Robbie couldn't have been happier that she had woken up. He turned to his son. "Jackson, go tell people and a doctor that she's awake now, please."

"Yeah, sure." Without hesitating, Jackson bolted out of the room.

Lilly, whom was still clinging onto her father- Heather sitting next to her- looked up when she saw Jackson quickly making his way over to everybody. Her heart swelled with hope, fear, and everything else in between.

"Miley's awake!" Jackson panted. "Dad's still with her. Not sure how she's feeling yet." He took in a couple of deep breaths before continuing. "She had a little trouble with talking at first."

"When can we see her?" Ruthie asked, trying very hard not to get her hopes too high.

"I'm guessing when the doctor's are done checking up on her. I ran into Dr. Harvey before I came here, so hopefully soon."

"Oh, thank the Lord," Ruthie sighed, squeezing Ruby's hands with her own.

Jackson then turned to Lilly. Her complexion was still pale. "I'm gonna go see what's going on…" With that, he turned and walked as quickly as he could back to Miley's room.

Back in the room, Dr. Harvey finished checking up on Miley. He looked over her complexion and was worried with what he could see. Miley's skin was cool, moist, and pale while her pulse felt rapid, yet weak. He then moved to check her abdomen since her ribs had been fractured in several places. Just as he feared, the skin tissue was soft, tender, swollen, and even hard. It was slightly rigid as well. Harsh bruising played out across her abdomen and there was no doubt in his mind what exactly was wrong. Picking up his chart, he took a seat next to Miley. "I'm going to ask you a couple of questions, okay?" She nodded ever so slowly in response. "Are you experiencing any abdominal pain?"

"Y-Yes," Miley quietly croaked out.

"Headache?"

"A little…"

"Excessive thirst?"

Miley nodded again. Talking was still a little difficult and painful for her.

"Feeling any nausea?" Another nod; he sighed. "Thank you, Miley… I'll let you rest up for now." Dr. Harvey gave her a reassuring smile, stood up, and looked over at Robbie Ray. "May I speak to you outside for a moment?"

"Y-Yeah, of course." Right as they walked out the door Jackson returned and went into the room to keep Miley company. "I'll be right back," Robbie informed his son.

Jackson took in the worried expression on Miley's doctor and grew even more concerned. To make sure Miley wouldn't get too worried as well, he plastered a smile onto his face. It was small, but caring. "Hey sis… How're you feeling?" he asked after taking a seat next to her.

"Horrible," she winced. Her gaze turned to Jackson's. "…I know something's wrong." Tears pricked her eyes as she continued. "My doctor looked so worried…"

"Miles, don't start thinking like that, okay?" He panicked slightly. "Look, everyone's here to see you: Grandma Ruby, Mamaw, Aunt Dolly, Lilly and her parents, Oliver, and Joannie. They all really want to see you."

"I-I'd like that." They shared a small smile before Jackson stood to exit the room once again, leaving Miley momentarily alone. She sucked in a sharp, shaky breath, finally allowing the tears to fall.

Meanwhile, down a secluded hallway, Robbie Ray sat on the floor up against the wall. His knees bent up, allowing his arms and head to rest upon them. Sobs wrecked his body. His life was falling apart and he didn't know what he was going to do. All he knew was he had to be strong for Jackson and he had to be strong around Miley. How could he be losing his baby girl already…?"

Back in the waiting room, Dr. Harvey had just told everyone they could finally see Miley. He suggested one or two at a time and that family would go first. Lilly watched helplessly as the three women- Ruby, Ruthie, and Dolly- decided on who could go in first. There was no fussing and they finally decided on Ruby going in. The broken look on the older woman's face as she followed the doctor was almost too much for Lilly to watch. A sudden friendly hand on her shoulder turned her attention away from Ruby to see a very saddened Oliver sitting next to her. "Hey," he greeted. She said nothing in response, so he went on. "Lils…" He struggled, trying to find the right words to say. "No matter what happens, Miley's always going to be with you…" Oliver's hand lifted and was then placed where Lilly's heart would be. "Right here. Always."

Without a word, Lilly leaned in to rest her head on his strong shoulder; his arm draping across her own shoulders. She sat there with Oliver, trying very hard to be patient on waiting for her turn to see her Miley.

-----

Ruby tentatively walked in and choked down the lump in her throat. "Hey, sweet pea," she softly spoke, making her way over to her granddaughter.

Miley's voice was still tired and raspy when she spoke. "Grandma…" she weakly smiled.

Taking Miley's good hand into her own, Ruby took a seat. "We all rushed here as quickly as we could when we heard…when we heard what happened…" She sniffed, wiping a single tear that fell from her burning eyes away.

"I'm glad y-you're here." Miley had wanted to stay strong for her family, but she felt so weak. So frightened. "…Grandma?" she hesitantly asked.

Squeezing her hand gently, Ruby gave Miley as soft smile. "Hmm?"

"…What was the last thing Momma said to you?"

Ruby's throat tightened painfully at the fear and sorrow etched out in Miley's voice. Thinking back to her own daughter's final days stung her more than she could ever describe. "Well," she breathed out, gathering her thoughts, "she asked me to take very good care of you, Jackson, and your Daddy. It was very hard on her, knowing she wouldn't be around to see you kids grow up…" The growing tightness in her throat prevented her from saying anything more and now tears streamed down both their faces.

"W-Would it be t-to much to ask for you…for you to do the same again for me?" Miley sadly asked, trying to be as serious as she could be.

"Oh sweetie…." Ruby choked. Nothing else was needed to be said as she leaned down to embrace her only granddaughter in a tight, gentle hug while they both cried. She whispered words of comfort to Miley when she mumbled out how scared she was. It completely broke her heart…

-----

Miley's visits with her Mamaw and Aunt Dolly were just as tearful and heart wrenching. She had asked them as well to look out for one another if anything were to happen to her. Her condition seemed to be getting worse- she could simply feel it. Telling everybody how much they meant to her was her top priority and so far she felt successful at doing so. After Dr. Harvey came back to check up on her once more, her father had returned. She told him that she'd like Lilly to be the last of the visitors to come in so she could spend a little more time with her love. Understanding her request, Robbie slowly made his way back to the waiting room. "Lilly?" She looked up. "Miley wants to see you after everyone else. She said that way she'd have more time with you…"

"O-Okay…" Lilly replied in a near whisper.

Heather glanced at Oliver, noticing he was torn on if he was ready enough to see Miley yet or not. "I, um… Mind if I go in?" she asked Robbie.

He nodded. "Follow me…"

Taking a deep breath, she followed. Heather couldn't help but notice how exhausted Robbie looked. It was around 2:30 in the morning. Everybody was restless and on edge. She couldn't even imagine what he was going through right now.

Randall rubbed Lilly's shoulder. "Come on; let's get something in your stomach. It's been a while."

Lilly sunk further into her seat, arms crossed, not making eye contact with anyone. "Not hungry…" she mumbled sadly.

"Lilly, you're going to get yourself sick. At least have some ice cream," he suggested.

After a couple moments of silence, Lilly finally stood up and followed her father to the cafeteria; eyes to the floor. Oliver watched on with concern. No matter what was going on or what the doctors were saying, none of this seemed real.

Joannie wrapped her arms around him from behind, her eyes red and puffy from trying not to cry. "I know you're worried about Lilly, but I'm worried about you… Talk to me, Ollie…"

"I'm scared, Joannie…" he sighed.

"We all are." She wiped her eyes before moving to stand in front of her boyfriend. "All we can do is hope for the best and stay positive for Miley."

Oliver nodded. "Y-Yeah, I know." He rubbed his eyes with one hand, letting it slide down his face. "God, I just don't know what I'm even going to say to Miley when I go in there…"

"Just talk like you normally would to Miley. She needs that right now."

"You're right…" He pulled her in closer to him, burying his face into Joannie's hair. "Can you go in with me? I don't think I can do this alone."

"I'll do anything for you," she replied before tenderly kissing his lips.

Nearly ten minutes later, Lilly and Randall came back just when Heather returned from visiting Miley. Tears stained her cheeks and she tried to wipe them dry at the sight of her daughter. Oliver walked up to her, holding Joannie's hand. "Wh-What's going on…?" he fearfully asked.

"She's… She's not doing so well." She crossed her arms over her chest in hopes that it would hold herself together. "I don't want to alarm you but Miley's been throwing up and…and there's more blood in it each time. I just thought I'd warn you."

Oliver hardly noticed Joannie's hand tighten around his. "…What does that mean?"

"I don't know…" Heather whispered as more tears leaked down her face. "Try not to take _too _long though. She's getting pretty anxious to see Lilly." After he nodded, Heather watched the young couple walk away.

Randall placed a hand on the small of Heather's back, causing her to look up at him. "Hey, um… When Lilly goes in to see Miley I'm going out to go get something. Would you be okay if I was gone for a little while…?"

"Yeah," she sighed out. "I'll keep an eye on Lilly. How long do you think you'll be?"

"Not sure. Depends on traffic." With a sigh, he laced his fingers together with Heather's and the two walked back over to their daughter.

-----

"…Hey, Miley," Oliver spoke after he shut the door behind him and Joannie. Joannie gave a simple wave. She didn't trust her voice yet, especially now seeing the state Miley was in.

"Oliver," Miley weakly smiled; her voice more hoarse.

He rushed over to her with caution to hug his best friend. Joannie stood next to him, feeling like she was intruding on a moment only meant for them. "I know you probably get this all the time," she started, "but how are you feeling?"

"Worse… A lot worse…" Miley didn't let go of Oliver's hand when he pulled back from the hug. "H-How's Lilly…?"

"She's pretty worried about you," Oliver honestly replied. "She won't really talk to anyone."

Tears filled Miley's eyes. "C-Can I ask you g-guys a f-favor?" she asked while tears lightly trailed down from her eyes.

"Yeah, anything…" Oliver rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb in comfort.

"I w-want you guys to t-take café of Lilly for me." She was crying more at this point, as were Joannie and Oliver.

"Miley, don't talk like that," he pleaded.

"Just promise me, please?" Her eyes bore into his, silently begging him to do this one request for her.

After giving her an approving nod, Oliver once again hugged Miley- Not wanting to let go.

"We promise," Joannie told Miley, wiping her own eyes.

"Take care of Ollie for me too. He's a great guy." She smiled faintly when Oliver lifted his head to look over at Joannie.

"I will." She smiled back through tears.

"Try to stay strong, Miles. We all love you." She nodded and then Oliver leaned down to place a gentle kiss on her cheek. "You, along with Lilly and Joannie, are the greatest friend a guy could ever ask for."

"You are too, Oliver…" Miley suddenly started coughing, and it kept getting worse. When they realized she was starting to gag, Joannie reached for a pail by the bed, handing it to Oliver just in time for Miley to throw up into it. He winced at how much blood there was. Seeing this made the situation more real to him and he was flooded with dread. Miley was dying…

When Miley finished, she leaned back on the bed breathing heavily. Her head throbbed painfully. "L-Lilly…" she managed to say through her pain.

"W-We'll go get her, okay?" Oliver held in a sob as he stood up, slowly letting go of Miley's hand. This couldn't be the last time…but deep down he knew it was. Joannie's hand slipped into his and the two left the room with a heavy heart and tear stained faces.

-----

Lilly walked down the hallway in a complete daze. She nearly lost it when Oliver returned with Joannie in tears. Oliver hardly ever cried. Reaching her destination, Lilly sucked in a deep breath, both anxious and dreading seeing Miley. Gathering her strength, she pushed open the door, only to loose what little strength she had instantly. "Oh God…" she croaked, covering her quivering mouth with her left hand.

Miley's tired eyes slowly opened to see her girlfriend standing by the door. "Lils…"

After hearing Miley plead for her, Lilly darted over to her side. Wrapping her arms around Miley's torso, Lilly buried her face into Miley's shoulder, letting out all of her emotions. Miley dug her fingers into the blonde's hair, hanging on to her for dear life as heavy sobs took over her as well.

Lilly moved her right hand to cup Miley's cheek and moved her head enough to place soft, eager kisses along the side of her face. "I love you s-so much," she sobbed.

"I love you too, Lilly…" The feeling of Lilly holding her- kissing her- caused her worry to decrease some. "I-I'm so glad y-you're here with me."

"There's no way I wouldn't be." Sad eyes locked with each other as Lilly started leaning in; softly kissing Miley. They each put everything they had into that one kiss, making it last long moments before breaking for air. Using her good hand, Miley reached up to brush away Lilly's tears, making the blonde smile faintly. "When you finally make it out of here"—

"Lilly…" Miley quietly interrupted her. Her throat tightened even more than it already had. "I want you to do something for me…"

"You know I'd do anything for you." Lilly continued caressing Miley's swollen face.

Pain chose to flash through Miley's head at that moment. She squeezed her eyes shut. The headaches were becoming more frequent and she wished with everything that it would pass soon. Soft lips pressed against her right temple, soothing her. "I-I'm okay…" she reassured with closed eyes. They reopened for her to see Lilly's tearful look. "I _need _you to promise me something." Once again her voice cracked. This was so hard to do, but it had to be done. Lilly nodded, allowing Miley to continue. "Promise me that you won't give up."

"Wh-What do you mean…?" Fear etched out across Lilly's face. "You're…You're going to be f-fine."

"_Promise _me," Miley cried. "I love you, Lilly, and I need to know that you're not going to give up after I…I…" She couldn't finish the words she wanted to say due to fear and emotions getting the best of her.

"No… No, please don't make me promise that. I can't, Miley. I _can't_!" Lilly gripped onto Miley's hand harder. "You're everything to me… I-I can't…"

Both girls stared at one another, willing the tears to stop. Weakly taking in a deep breath, Miley moved her thumb underneath Lilly's eye. "Then I want you to at least try," she whispered. "All I know is that if things were t-turned around, and it was you in this hospital bed, I wouldn't want t-to… But, if you asked me to, I'd at least try." Her heart painfully swelled when Lilly pinched her eyes shut, trying so hard to hold back another sob. Miley gently pulled her down so Lilly's head was once again resting upon her shoulder. "I love you _so _much, Lilly… Please do this f-for me."

"…I promise…" Lilly whispered airily; so soft it was hardly manageable to hear. For the next several minutes, the two broken lovers held each other close in silence- The only noise coming from the soft beeping of the heart monitor. Continuous tears leaked from the blonde's eyes while she repositioned herself to be able to lean her head against Miley's heart. It took most of her concentration to be able to feel it thudding within. "Please don't leave me…" she shakily spoke.

Miley's fingers tangled themselves into Lilly's hair. "I'll always be with you… Don't forget that…" Her breathing had become more rapid which made her lungs burn from the lack of oxygen given to her. Tears mixed together as Lilly pressed the side of her face with her own. Tender lips trailed from her cheek and gradually made their way to the corner of the brunette's mouth.

"I'm nothing without you… I love you, Miley." Lilly swallowed before kissing Miley's lips; savoring the feeling, cherishing the moment, of being able to hold her like this. She sadly whimpered against Miley when she whispered "I love you too" in return while holding Lilly closer to her, keeping their lips together. They wanted nothing more than to stay in this moment together- Forever…

-----

Robbie Ray sat alone in the hospital room with Miley. He stared absentmindedly out the window into the darkened world. It was close to four in the morning and it was only about a half hour ago when he helped carry Lilly out to a couch in the waiting room. She had fallen asleep next to Miley, both hands intertwined and heads leaning against the other. It nearly shattered his already fragile heart to separate the girls. Neither of them had woken up and everyone thought it was probably better that way. Rubbing his eyes, Robbie turned his gaze back to Miley to see she was slightly awake now. "Hey, bud," he whispered, moving hair away from his daughter's eyes.

"Wh-Where's Lilly…?" she quietly rasped out.

"She's asleep," he replied.

Miley managed to nod slightly. A moment of silence filled the room briefly. "…Daddy?" She looked up at him. He gave her all his attention, clutching onto her cooling hand. "I…I want you t-to tell people that…that I'm Hannah…"

"A-Are you sure?" he managed to asked through his sore throat. A throbbing lump seemed to have taken a permanent resident there, and he sure as hell knew it wasn't going away anytime soon.

"Yes," she sadly smiled. "My fans h-have the right to know…"

"If that's what you really want." His breathing hitched.

"It is…" A single tear trickled down Miley's face. "Dad…under my bed I-I have a box… I want you to give it to Lilly… It's th-the only box there…"

Robbie nodded, leaning down to kiss his daughter's forehead for what seemed like the millionth time. "I'll make sure she gets it." His tears dripped down onto the neck brace when Miley clung to him, letting out a low cry. "Shh…" He attempted to soothe her. "Don't cry baby girl…"

"C-C-Can you s-sing to me…?" she pleaded desperately. "I-I'm so sc-scared."

There was no hesitation on Robbie's end. He'd do anything to make his kids feel safer. In a strong, soft voice, Robbie started singing the song he had written specifically for Miley a few years ago. One she always loved listening to…

"_She's gotta do what she's gotta do  
And I've gotta like it or not  
She's got dreams too big for this town  
And she needs to give 'em a shot  
Whatever they are  
Looks like she's all ready to leave  
Nothing left to pack  
There ain't no room for me in that car  
Even if she asked me to tag along  
God I gotta be strong."_

Miley's breathing gradually became low and irregular. It took all of Robbie's willpower to keep singing.

"_She's at the startin' line of the rest of her life  
As ready as she's ever been  
Got the hunger and the stars in her eyes  
The prize is hers to win  
She's waitin' on my blessings before she hits that open road  
Baby get ready  
Get set  
Don't go_

_She says things are fallen into place  
Feels like they're fallen apart  
I painted this big ol' smile on my face  
To hide my broken heart  
If only she knew  
This is where I don't say what I want so bad to say  
This is where I want to but I won't get in the way  
Of her and her dreams  
And spreadin' her wings"_

Robbie's hands clasped over Miley's when she struggled to keep her eyes open. Without her noticing, he reached over with shaky hands to press the help button.

"_She's at the startin' line of the rest of her life  
As ready as she's ever been  
Got the hunger and the stars in her eyes  
The prize is hers to win  
She's waitin' on my blessings before she hits that open road  
Baby get ready  
Get set  
Don't go_

_She's at the startin' line of the rest of her life  
As ready as she's ever been  
Got the hunger and the stars in her eyes  
The prize is hers to win  
She's waitin' on my blessings before she hits that open road  
Baby get ready  
Get set  
**Please** Don't go…"  
_

His voice cracked at the end of the song, determined to keep himself together for Miley.

"I love you, Daddy…" Miley quietly forced out just as her eyes slid to a close.

"I l-love you too, Miles…" Seconds later the worse had come. The steady beep of the heart monitor informing that he had lost his little girl forever. He clutched tightly to her limp hand, his head falling down next to Miley's, as his cried echoed throughout the room.

Dr. Harvey, along with his assistant nurse, checked Miley once more before confirming her death. With tear-filled eyes, Dr. Harvey wrote down the inevitable on his clipboard.

Patient: Miley Stewart.

Time of Death- 4:13 a.m.

-----

Slow motion seemed to take over Lilly's world when she was woken by her crying mother. Looking around, she noticed Ruthie, Ruby, Dolly, Jackson, Oliver, and Joannie were all in hysterics as well. Then her mother said the words she never, _ever _wanted to hear.

"I-I'm so, so sorry, Lilly…"

"No…" She shook her head, glaring at her Mom. "No!"

Heather quickly grabbed Lilly's shoulders, pulling her in. Her daughter's cries of protest broke her and the only thing she could think to do was cling to Lilly's thrashing body and cry.

Randall stood stone still in shock. He had just returned moments before and knew right away that he was too late. Dampness took over his tired face as he glanced down at the small white box in his now shaking hands. In a daze, he stuffed the box into his jacket pocket and hurriedly made his way over to his wife and devastated daughter. Lilly's heart shattering cries were muffled in the comfort of her father's strong arms. Miley was _gone_…

-----

( "_Ready, Set, Don't Go"- Billy Ray Cyrus)_

_-----_

**:'(**

**Please review...**


	9. Just a Dream

**Yes, anohter update :) I was glad to hear that you all enjoyed the last chapter even though you cried your little hearts out (sorry). It made me happy to see that I wrote it well enough for you to feel the emotion in it. I know I should probably be working on my other story, but, unfortunately, my grandfather passed away 4 weeks after his diagnosis of cancer :'( I miss him terribly and after a while I coped with it by writing, and this was the perfect thing to work on to vent out my feelings. This chapter is pretty much the after shock of losing a loved one. The feeling was fresh, so I hope you can feel their pain. **

**On a happier note, I would like to say happy 7th birthday to my cat (lol), happy 27th bday to Carrie Underwood, and happy 18th to our girl Emily Osment! :-D BTW!!! I get to meet Emily in 10 days! I'm so nervous! Haha. I got VIP tickets to her concert in Minneapolis on the 20th and I simply can't wait. If I pass out I'm gonna cry, lol. Anyways, here's the next chapter- enjoy :)**

Chapter 9- Just a Dream

Soft rays of sunlight shone through the open window Heather Truscott was sadly looking out of. It was ten o'clock in the morning; she had only gotten about two hours of sleep. Once Lilly had cried herself to a restless sleep at the hospital, getting herself sick, Randall had carried her outside where they all headed back home. Heather didn't even need to ask her husband to stay- he just simply knew she wanted him to and held her throughout their troubled sleep.

Tears continuously pooled down her cheeks and she buried her face into her pillow, trying to muffle her cries as to not wake Randall up. Strong arms quickly wrapped themselves around her body and she was slightly surprised that he was already awake. "I'm here, Heather. It's okay…" he whispered.

"I…I didn't mean t-to wake you," she forced out through tears.

"You didn't," Randall reassured. "I've been awake for a while now."

Silence consumed them for several minutes. Heather was still hoping all of this was a horrible nightmare and she'd wake up at any given moment. "Why can't I just wake up…?" she sadly whispered.

Randall nodded, understanding. "Do you think Lilly stayed on the couch all night?" All he got was an affirmative nod from her. "Okay, I'm going to go check up on her." He placed a chaste kiss upon her cheek before slowly getting out of bed to walk quietly downstairs.

It broke his heart to see her this way. Lilly was sprawled out on the couch, tears slipping through her closed lids, and a medium sized bucket by her side. She had cried so hard she ended up getting herself sick. The hospital was kind enough to give them the bucket so Lilly would have something in the car just in case. Needless to say it was a good thing they had it. With a heavy heart, Randall knelt down next to his daughter, brushing hair away from her damp, tear stained face. After placing a gentle kiss on Lilly's forehead, he stood up, tucking his hands into his pockets, and wondered over to where he had carelessly tossed his coat. Randall bent down and swiftly picked it up just to dig into the right pocket. Sad eyes looked down at the little white box that not even a day ago held so much promise.

Heather stood at the bottom of the stairs, looking curiously over at her husband. "Randy…?" she whispered so she wouldn't wake Lilly up.

He turned to face her. "Hey…" His hands fumbled with the small object.

"What…What is that…?" Slowly, she made her way over to Randall, keeping her eyes on his hands.

Randall let out a slow breath. He closed his eyes momentarily, debating if he should just tell her. Lilly would probably be too broken now to say anything about it. "It's, um… It's something Lilly was planning on giving…giving to Miley…"

"Oh," she croaked out quietly. Heather's heart nearly stopped when Randall opened the item with care, revealing a sparkling diamond ring. "Oh my…" Tears built up in her eyes with both hands covering her mouth. "Th-That's… Is that…?"

"An engagement ring…" he sadly finished for her. "Lilly had it nearly paid off… I tried to get it to her on time, but…but it was too late…" His voice shook, making it difficult for him to continue. Both adults had tears tracing down their faces. Heather completely broke down after letting the news sink in and Randall pulled her in, placing his head against her golden hair. "Come on," he said while pulling her towards a different room. "Let's go to the kitchen, we don't want to wake Lilly…"

-----

Jackson lay motionless on his bed, staring at nothing in particular. He wasn't able to sleep and even though he was exhausted, he still couldn't. Nausea coursed through him all night as he replayed the images of his last moment with his little sister. It had been in between visits with other people. One moment he knew he would never forget…

_**--Flashback—**_

_"Jackson, wait…" Miley spoke as loud as she could to get her brother's attention before he walked out._

_"What is it?" he kindly asked, making his way back over to her._

_Miley gripped onto his offered hand. "I love you, Jackson… You're th-the best brother I could ever a-ask for…"_

_"Don't do this, Miley…" Jackson blinked back his tears._

_"Jackson…" Her eyes bore into his, pleading him to listen to her. "I-I just want you t-to know how much you m-mean to me…" she whispered._

_"I know…" Jackson allowed his tears to fall freely. "You mean a lot to me, too… You're the best little sister a guy could want." He clutched onto Miley's hand. Even though he knew it was, Jackson didn't want to believe this was the last time he would ever say this to her. "I love you, too, Miley…"_

_**-----**_

The covers flew off Jackson's body as he sat up, hanging his legs over the edge of his bed. Both hands slid down his face, trying very hard to keep himself together. A shaky sigh escaped him when his eyes fell on the extra picture of his mother he kept here hanging on the wall. Why did he have to lose both of them?

Jackson's legs wobbled slightly as he stood up and somehow managed to leave his room. Mamaw had stayed over while Ruby and Aunt Dolly got a hotel room relatively close by. Somebody was bound to be here by now. As he entered the kitchen he found all three of them. Ruby was cooking breakfast while talking with the others quietly. Mamaw looked up and was surprised to see her grandson awake so early. "Mornin', Jackson…" she sadly greeted.

"Hey…" He then plopped down at an empty chair just to look down at an empty plate in front of him. After a couple moments of silence he asked, "Is Dad still in bed?"

"I believe so," replied Dolly. She placed her hand over his that was resting on the tabletop. "Did you, um…did you sleep okay?"

"Not really," Jackson replied with a shrug.

"Well here," Ruby piped in, holding a plate filled with French toast. "Have something to eat at least." She watched on sadly as he slowly added some butter and syrup. The poor boy was so lost… They all were.

"…I'm gonna go check on Robbie to see if he's awake yet," Ruthie said suddenly. Standing up, she made her way to the staircase. "I won't be long…"

Inside his room, Robbie Ray stared up at the ceiling, not being able to get the images of his daughter's final moments out of his mind. Not one single moment had passed since then where tears haven't fallen from his tired eyes. At the sound of footsteps drawing near, he quickly wiped the tears away; though, it did no use. Tears continued to flow. Soon enough, his mother's head came into view as she creaked open the door. "Robbie, sweetie… We cooked up some breakfast if you want any…"

Robbie shook his head. "I-I'm not hungry…" His eyes stayed focused on the ceiling. If he looked in his mother's eyes he was sure to break down again.

Sighing, Ruthie walked the rest of the way into her son's room. "You haven't eaten since suppertime yesterday from what I've heard. It would make me feel better if you attempted to eat _something_."

Without another word, Robbie got up, even though he wanted nothing more than to just stay in bed. Ruthie gave him a weak smile before leading him downstairs with her.

-----

Lilly's head throbbed painfully as her eyes squinted open. Looking around she realized she was at home in the living room. As quickly as it had came, the small hope that she had just been dreaming faded when she heard her mother crying in the other room. She rubbed her eyes and froze when she saw the small purple heart Miley had drawn on her hand. Even after all the crying she had done, it was still there. Whimpered sobs escaped her; her palms pushing into her eyes.

Randall rushed into the living room when he heard Lilly start to cry. "Lilly! Lilly, it's okay. Shh…" he soothed her, sitting down next to her; pulling her into his arms.

"N-No…" she sobbed in reply.

He pulled back, placing his hands onto Lilly's shoulders. When she looked up and met his gaze he froze; there was no light in her usual sparkling eyes. "Oh, Lilly… I'm so sorry…"

Lilly forced her eyes away, closing them tightly while continuing to cry. Randall followed her gaze once she reopened them, landing on her left hand. "M-Miley… Sh-She drew it…before she l-left y-yesterday…" She then collapsed against her father again. "I d-don't want it t-to go away…"

"We'll figure something out," he replied, wrapping his arms tightly around her. "Um…I don't know if you still want it, but…" He slid the box out of his pocket, causing Lilly to look up at him. "I went to get it while you were still in the room with her. By the time I got back…I was…I was too late. I tried to get it to you on time…"

Blurred vision took over as Lilly shakily took the ring into her hands. The ring Miley never got a chance to know about. "She…She can't be gone…" Her voice was hoarse as she spoke. Before Randall could say anything Lilly stood up, her breathing becoming shallower. "D-Dad, she's gotta be okay…She has to!"

"Lilly," he started while standing up as well, "I'm sorry, but she's gone… You were _at _the hospital when it happened…"

"No!" she shouted. "This isn't how things were supposed to happen! I was going to give her this ring and she was going to say yes! She loves me!"

Randall tried to stay as calm as he could. Neither of them noticed Heather standing in the living room entryway. "Lilly, you're just in denial…"

Lilly backed away from him; eyes narrowing. "Stop! Just…Just leave me alone!" With a turn of the heel, Lilly ran out of the house, tears cascading down her face.

"Let her go, Randy…" Heather spoke after seeing he was about to go after their daughter. The room fell silent but eventually Randall surrendered and took a seat on the couch once again. Wiping her tears away, Heather walked over to take a seat next to him.

"I shouldn't have given it to her yet… It was too soon…" Randall ran both hands through his hair, keeping them there as his elbows rested on his knees, keeping his head down.

"Hon, I don't think it would matter when you gave her that ring. Either way it would've been painful."

He nodded, finally lifting his head. "I'm going to call Oliver to see if he can track Lilly down. I don't want her out there by herself. Not like this…" After a silent agreement, Randall pulled out his cell phone to give Oliver a call.

-----

Oliver idly flipped through the channels on TV, seated on the couch, with Joannie dozing off next to him. Buzzing emerged from his pocket and he carelessly retrieved it. "Hello…?" he answered.

"Oliver, I know this is a bad time, but can you do us a favor?" Randall sighed before continuing. "Lilly ran out and we don't really know where she might be."

"Don't worry; I have a few ideas…"

"Thank you… Take care of yourself, sport."

A ghost of a smile appeared on Oliver's face. "I will… I'll let you guys know when I find her."

Joannie looked up at this, curious of what was going on. She waited until Oliver hung up to ask, "What was that about…?"

"Lilly ran off," he explained. "Her parents are pretty worried and want me to find her." Oliver stood up from the couch, looking down at Joannie. "Wanna come with or stay here to rest up a little longer?"

"It sounds like it'd be better if it was just you that found her… I'll stay here. If…If you don't mind that is." She gave him a look of uncertainty.

"Of course not." Oliver pulled her up and kissed her soundly. "I could drop you off at your place if you want. That way you could sleep in your own bed."

"I'd like that, thanks." Together, the two of them left his house hand in hand. Oliver was quite concerned about Lilly and he'd be damned if he didn't find her.

-----

Ocean air surrounded Lilly as she ran down the beach; getting closer to where she wanted to be. When she finally got there her knees buckled which caused her to collapse into the sand, landing face first. After rolling onto her back Lilly held the white ring box tightly to her chest. Hard panting and sobs mixed as she laid there allowing the bright Malibu Sun to shine down on her. Once she reopened her reddened eyes she looked around at the all too familiar area she was at. It was _the _place. The place where everything in her life fell into place. Lilly was alone, lying in the sand, for about ten minutes before she heard somebody approaching. There was only one other person who knew about this secluded area, so she stayed where she was, not bothering to move a muscle.

"Lilly?" Oliver called out. Panic briefly fell over him at the sight of his best friend motionless in the sand but the faint sound of sniffling brought him out of it. "I figured you'd be here," he carefully stated as he walked closer to the broken blonde.

"L-Leave me alone…" Lilly gulped down air. Talking to someone was the last thing she wanted to do.

"No," he replied while sitting down beside her. "I'm too worried about you…"

Lilly chose to ignore Oliver. With a shaky intake of breath she raised her hands so she could stare blankly at what was supposed to be something amazing.

Oliver's eyebrows scrunched together questionably. He hesitated before asking, "Lil…What's that?"

"It's for Miley," she whispered. Her eyes then met Oliver's sad ones. The lump in her throat increased in size. So instead of speaking, Lilly simply opened the box.

With wide eyes and a slacked jaw, Oliver reached out to get a better look at it. "Oh my God… Lilly, you were…" Lilly nodded her head in reply leaving Oliver completely speechless for a while.

"…Can you please just go now…?" Lilly's voice was quiet, broken, but so demanding.

Defeated, Oliver rose to his feet. "Fine… I'll be at Rico's. I promised Miley I'd watch out for you and I'm damn well going to." Without waiting for a reply, figuring it would be a lost cause to do so anyways, he walked off, giving Lilly her space.

Fresh tears made their way down Lilly's face while watching Oliver leave. Once he was out of sight Lilly's attention returned to the blue sky above her. She continued to lie there waiting, hoping, that Miley would somehow magically appear, proving to everyone that she was still around. "…Miley…" Her voice echoed in the silence of the secluded spot. She was completely shattered.

-----

Ruthie quickly made her way to the door and opened it to reveal the Truscott's. "Hi, Ruthie," Heather greeted, holding onto a fresh apple pie.

"Mornin'," the red headed woman replied with a kind smile. "Come on in." She gestured into the house. "Where's Lilly…?"

"Ran off," replied Randall. "Oliver called a little while ago saying he found her at the beach."

"That poor dear…" They all made their way into the kitchen so Heather could place the pie onto the counter.

"Where's Robbie?" Heather asked.

"Upstairs making some phone calls," Dolly replied. "He's trying to decide when to have the visitation and funeral and…it's all too much…" Her eyes welled with unshed tears.

Heather pulled the older blonde into a comforting hug; everyone else falling silent.

Upstairs, Robbie hung up the phone and slowly made his way over to Jackson's room. Jackson had left the table shortly after breakfast without a word and stormed up the stairs. It was time now to check up on his son. "Jackson?" He knocked on the door. "You okay, son?" Opening the door, he peered inside to see Jackson carefully taking down his drawn on poster of Hannah Montana. Jackson then turned to face him; his face soaked with tears.

"Sh-She never l-liked that I drew o-on th-this," he stammered out. The poster shook in his hands since he was desperately trying not to break down in front of his father.

Robbie stepped closer. "Hey, it's okay to cry, Jackson. Come here…" He opened his arms to which Jackson walked into right away. Jackson cried in the comfort of his father and having nobody else around.

Jackson somehow managed to pull himself together enough to pull back and look up into Robbie's distraught eyes. "A-At least sh-she's with m-mom now…" he whispered.

"Absolutely." Robbie sighed before giving his son a sad smile. "They've got each other and they're always going to be a part of us- watching over us."

After wiping his eyes Jackson stepped further back to glance around his room; arms crossed over his chest. "Why'd we h-have to lose both…?"

That was the same thought that had been running through Robbie's mind all day. "I…I don't know, son…"

Right before Jackson could add anything the sound of the door slamming turned their attention elsewhere. "Lilly, stop!" Oliver's voice boomed almost demandingly. Robbie turned to hurry down the hall and staircase to see what was going on with said blonde.

"Lilly, you need to listen to me, please!" All eyes were on the two teenagers standing in the center of the living room, tears streaming down both their faces. Oliver stepped closer to Lilly, lowering his voice. "She's not going to be here…"

"Don't…" she harshly warned. "I told you to leave me alone. This is just some…some kind of sick joke! Miley's gotta be somewhere and I worked hard for this damn ring!" Lilly's voice rose as she lifted her hand holding onto the box. Her body trembled as she turned to dart up the stairs.

Robbie held up both hands, stopping Heather and Oliver from following her. "Let me do this…" Taking in a deep breath, Robbie turned around and went back upstairs.

Miley's bedroom door opened slowly before Lilly looked inside. Her bloodshot eyes scanned the lonely room. Everything was the same as it had been before. Lilly walked slowly into the quiet space apprehensively. A soft cry escaped her throat. "…Miley?" Silence closed in on her once again.. Miley wasn't there either. Lilly's legs finally gave out and she toppled over; fresh tears dripping onto the floor.

"Lilly…" a soft voice behind her spoke. She never turned around; it was obvious who it was. Robbie was soon squatted down in front of her, looking into her dull blue eyes. "I miss Miley a whole lot right now too… I want nothing more than for her to pop out of her Hannah closet right now smiling and laughing. But, unfortunately, we both know that it's not gonna happen…"

With her head lowered, Lilly squeezed her eyes shut, tears spilling out as she did so. "I-I didn't w-want t-to leave her," she gasped out.

The tone of the blonde's voice sunk his heart. "I-I'm sorry, Lilly… I had to move you…"

Lilly shook her head deliberately and allowed herself to crash to the floor. Without her noticing, the ring box slipped from her grasp and bounced closer to Robbie Ray.

Callused hands reached out, picked up the object, and, with reluctance, opened it. Robbie's eyes widened and quickly glanced back down at Lilly whom was looking back up at him.

"W-Would you h-have given me y-your b-blessing…?" The blonde's weeping eyes continued to stare at the taken aback man sitting next to her.

"You know very darn well that I would've," he softly replied. "You were everything to Miley." Robbie pulled Lilly up into his embrace as her cries grew slightly louder. He took a comfier position by resting his back against Miley's bed, letting Lilly cry into his chest. Eventually, Lilly pulled back to bury her face in her crossed arms that rest on top of her bent knees. Robbie knew exactly how she felt about losing her whole world- the one person you loved more than anything.

The chestnut haired man then recalled one of Miley's last requests from him. He figured now would be as good a time as any to do so. Lying on his stomach, he reached under Miley's bed to pull out the box she said would be there. "Lilly…" he said while sitting up on his knees, waiting until she looked up at him to continue. "Miley… She, um…She wanted me to give this to you…" When Lilly didn't take it, Robbie placed it down next to her. "Come on, Lilly… Let's get you back downstairs…"

After taking one more glance around the bedroom Lilly simply nodded. She cradled the ring and medium sized box, teardrops dripping onto it, and followed Robbie down the stairs.

Heather scooped Lilly up into her arms in a warm gentle hug when she re-entered the living room. Slow motion once again invaded Lilly's world as everyone around her talked with one another; attempting to talk to her as well. Glazed over eyes stared straight ahead into nothing. That was all Lilly could see now- a darkened world she so desperately wanted to escape from. All of this _had _to be a dream. If so, why wasn't she awake yet?

Lilly wondered aimlessly out onto the deck of the Stewart's house where she allowed herself to break her zombie-like state. She was alone. She felt alone. "P-Please c-come back… Please!" she cried out to the Heavens, clutching Miley's box as closely as possible to her body. Deep down- way, way deep down- in her heart Lilly knew nothing would ever bring her Miley back to her again. Absolutely _nothing_…

-----

"_Baby why'd you leave me? Why'd you have to go?__I was counting on forever, now I'll never know__I can't even breathe__It's like I'm looking from a distance, standing in the background__Everybody's sayin' he's not coming home now__This can't be happening to me__This is just a dream…"_

("Just a Dream- Carrie Underwood)

-----

**I know this chapter was just kinda there, but it was necessary. Hope you enjoyed it anyways. I will work on This Is The Dream and hopefully get that posted soon-ish. I will try updating this as soon as I can as well. My spring break is next week, so I'll have some time to write. Thanks again everyone. Reviews mean a lot to me :)**


	10. Anthem of the Angels

**Thanks everyone for all the lovely reviews so far. I'm so glad you're all enjoying this story. This next chapter is probably a little shorter, but I hope you like it anyways.  
Also, meeting Emily was amazing. It almost didn't happen though. I got there and they told me that the VIP part already happened at 4:30 when everything else told me to get there are 5. I blew a gasget. I was so pissed and I think I scared everyone working at the theater lol. But other people missed it too so I was able to meet her anyways. Emily loved my Beatles shirt :) Totally made my day. Then she was going to autograph my free poster I got and she was bummed cos she just had a black sharpie, I saved the day by having a silver one. She liked that too :) We're the same height! (sorry, random cool fact). Anyways, it was amazing and she's even better and prettier live. I'm still on cloud nine from her touching my waist and me touching hers (sighs happily). **

**Anyways........... Here is the next chapter. I would like to thank my good friend J. (did I get the spelling right? haha) for introducing me to this song. It's by Breaking Benjamin and you should listen to it so you get a better feel of it. If not, that's cool too. Thanks again for reading, and enjoy.**

Chapter 10- Anthem of the Angels

"Lunch is ready, Jackson!" Ruthie hollered up the stairs to her grandson. It was now Tuesday and everybody was a bundle of nerves while preparing for the reviewal on Thursday and the funeral on Friday.

Jackson bounded down the stairs. "Smells good, Mamaw," he replied with a sincere smile. "What are we having?"

"Your Grandma Ruby's famous fried chicken," she replied.

"Almost done, too," Ruby quipped. "Once Robbie Ray and Dolly get back from their jog it should be good to go." There was a short pause before she spoke again. "Oh, we invited the Oken's and Truscott's too. They insisted on making us lunch but I figured they could all come here and bring something if they wished to."

"Do you think Lilly will show up?" Jackson sadly asked.

"Well, Heather said she'd try to get her out of the house. Apparently she hasn't been going out a lot." She let out a sigh. "They got her out once since she was here last. I don't know what for though."

Jackson didn't have time to reply as his father and Aunt Dolly walked in the back door. "Oh it smells absolutely wonderful in here," Dolly spoke up with a smile.

Ruthie glanced at her son while Dolly went to help finish setting the table. A sympathetic frown took over her features when she noticed the heavy bags under his eyes and lack of shine in his eyes. "Robbie, sweetie, why don't you go wash up and then come back down for lunch. It shouldn't take too much longer for it to be ready." He simply nodded and she watched him walk away.

"Hey, um… Can I tell you guys something?" asked Jackson. When all three women gave their attention to him, he went on with what he needed to say. "I-I don't think I can handle college this semester… Do you think Dad would be mad if I dropped out and went back some other time…?"

Ruby set the plate piled with chicken in the center of the table. "I think he would completely understand, Jackson. You don't need to worry about school right now anyways."

"Thanks, Grandma." He let out a sigh of relief.

Shortly after their brief conversation, the Oken's and the Truscott's -minus Lilly- walked in through the main door. "Afternoon everyone," Nancy Oken greeted, holding up a hot, tinfoil covered dish. "I brought over some scalloped potatoes."

"Perfect." Ruthie gently took it from her to bring it over to the table.

"Where's Lilly?" Jackson asked, looking past the adults.

"She refused to get off the couch," Heather sighed. "I'm getting concerned; she hasn't been in her room for days now."

"You left her home alone??" Jackson asked completely dumbfounded.

"No," Oliver piped in. "I asked Joannie if she could keep an eye out on Lilly for us for a bit."

"Good." Leaving it at that, everyone went over to the table; Robbie Ray showing up right on time. Jackson took a seat between Robbie and Oliver and couldn't help but choke up at how lost his Dad looked. Things were most likely going to get harder for them once Ruthie, Ruby, and Dolly all headed back to Tennessee. Deciding not to think of that just yet, he shook his head and started gathering food onto his plate.

After lunch, they all made their way into the living room for small talk. Robbie Ray sat quietly on the couch, barely listening to anyone, when he noticed his son nervously look at him. "…What's wrong, Jackson?" he asked with concern.

"I just, um…wanted to talk to you about something," he began. "About school actually." At this point all eyes were on him. "I…I don't want to go back… I don't think I'll be able to handle it this semester."

Robbie gave Jackson a small smile. "That's perfectly understandable, son. You go to school when you feel you're ready to."

A big weight was lifted from his shoulders and Jackson couldn't help but return a smile. "Thanks, Dad," he said as he leaned in for a hug.

"Did you really think I was going to say no?" Robbie teased.

"I don't know," he shrugged. "I thought you might have been disappointed in me or something…"

"Of course not. School isn't important right now. We all need time to…to get through this…" Robbie's voice shook but he managed to keep his tears at bay.

Oliver's eyes wondered around the living room- memories of Miley flashing right before him, causing his throat to tighten. His mind then went to thoughts of his blonde haired best friend. Pulling out his phone, he sent a quick text to Joannie asking about how Lilly was doing. Joannie replied stating that Lilly still had yet to move from the couch but kept looking at a box that was on the floor next to her. He sighed. "Hey, um…I'm going to go see Lilly. Is that okay?" he hesitantly asked.

"Is Joannie having problems with her?" Randall worriedly asked.

"No, it's just…" Oliver stood up, running a hand through his short hair. "It's a little hard being here and I just want to check on her myself." His eyes were glazed over with unshed tears, which didn't go unnoticed by anyone.

"Go on ahead, son," Oliver's Dad, Michael, sincerely told him. "I'm sure Lilly could use her best friend right now. We'll be fine here."

"Thanks," he breathed. Then, he looked over at Robbie Ray. "Thanks for inviting me over, Mr. Stewart…"

"Not a problem, Oliver. Take care, all right?"

"I will…" After waving to the group of adults and Jackson, Oliver made his way out of the house towards the Truscott home; allowing his tears to fall freely.

-----

Joannie sighed in relief when Oliver arrived. Lilly never looked up, even after Joannie stood up to greet her boyfriend. "Hey," she smiled, leaning in for a kiss.

"How is she?" he whispered hoarsely.

"She won't talk," she replied just as quietly. "Maybe she'll talk to you."

"I guess it's worth a try…" Oliver walked carefully to Lilly. His heart sank, or rather broke, at the distant, fearful eyes of the blonde. "Hey, Lilly…" he gently greeted, kneeling down next to her.

Lilly's tired eyes slowly looked up into Oliver's worried ones. Her throat was too tight to speak and, luckily, Oliver seemed to understand that she didn't want to talk at the moment. Instead, Lilly returned her gaze back down at the box she had still yet to open.

"Lilly…I want you to do something for me," Oliver said with ease. "You've been wearing the same clothes for days. It would make me and everyone else feel a lot better if you got into some fresh clothes. We're all worried about you…" Oliver jumped when Lilly's head snapped up at him.

"N-No, I…I can't…" she replied in near tears.

His look softened. "Why not?"

Lilly sat up, moving her left hand from underneath the couch pillow to reveal a bandage wrapped around her hand. She took in the worried expressions on her friends' faces. "It's not what you think…" she whispered. "But…I can't go in my room, okay?"

"Okay, we'll get back to that later. Just tell me what happened to your hand," Oliver practically pleaded.

"Yeah, it better not be what we think it is," Joannie added more sternly.

Tears slipped down Lilly's face. "It's not… I got a tattoo, all right?"

"A tattoo?? Seriously?" The brunette boy's eyes scrunched together in confusion.

"Yes," Lilly said tightly. "And I'd appreciate it if we didn't talk about it right now. My Dad brought me in yesterday; that's all I'm going to tell you."

"Lilly, you need to talk to us. You're hurting right now and all we want to do is help." Joannie looked Lilly in the eye, almost shivering at the cold glare staring back at her. "Please, just let us in."

A flow of emotions overpowered Lilly. She wanted to cry, scream, yell, anything. "Fine! You want in?!" She held up her hand. "I got a tattoo of the heart Miley drew on my hand the day of the accident, before she left! And the reason I don't want to go in my room is because that's the last place where Miley and I…We…" The blonde's body started shaking before she completely crumbled. When Oliver tried to pull her into a hug, she pushed him away. "Don't!" she cried.

Ignoring her request, Oliver grabbed both of Lilly's shoulders to make her look at him. "You can't push me away, Lilly… Miley was one of my best friends, too, and I miss her like crazy. We need each other, okay?"

"You don't know what I need." Lilly's voice was hard and steady. "I'll do things when I'm darn well ready to."

With a sigh, Oliver dropped his arms to his sides. "All I'm trying to do is help you through this. You'll have to go into your room sooner or later. Have you even realized how worried your Mom and Dad are about you?"

"People should just leave me alone! Don't people get how much pain I'm in right now?! I didn't get to be there for her! They took me away!" Lilly fell back against the couch sobbing; burying her face in the pillow.

Joannie bit her bottom lip as she turned in the other direction. It was too painful to watch Lilly fall apart like this.

A single tear trickled down Oliver's face. "They had to, Lil," he croaked out. "Visiting hours were over, the nurse told us to move you…"

"That. Doesn't. Matter…" she growled.

Oliver sat next to Lilly and put a comforting hand on her back. "Tell me what I can do to help you, Lil. You're my best friend… I don't want to stand by and watch you waste away."

"I just want Miley back…" she answered softly through tears.

"I know…" Letting out a sigh, his gaze fell to the box on the floor. "Maybe that's why she wanted her Dad to give you that box… Maybe there's something in there that she felt would help you."

The rage and complete heart ache seemed to ease some at Oliver's words. With tear filled eyes, Lilly looked down at the box again, but this time with a different view on it. She shook her head. "I-I can't do th-this right now…"

"Sure you can, Lilly," Joannie encouraged warmly.

Shaky sobs rang out and Oliver quickly wrapped Lilly into his arms, trying not to cry himself. "I can't imagine how hard this must be for you," he whispered to her. "But we're not going to let you go through this alone, ever. I promise."

"I-I just w-want to t-take a-a shower…" she mumbled into his shoulder. "That's all I w-want t-to do…"

"Okay, good… That's a great step, Lil." Then, Oliver helped Lilly to her feet. She was still shaking so he kept his arm wrapped around her tightly. Sensing that Lilly wasn't going to say much else, the trio slowly walked up the stairs towards Lilly's bathroom.

-----

Steam had filled the medium-sized room during Lilly's shower and, surprisingly to her, it helped her calm down slightly. Hot water soothed her skin and for the first time since the _incident _Lilly actually thought about going into her room. It made her queasy just thinking it but Oliver and Joannie were right- she had to sooner or later. Lilly shut the water off and just stood there for a couple of seconds to compose herself.

Grabbing a towel, the drenched blonde wrapped it around her heat-reddened body, letting her hair hang loose in wet tangles, and exited the bathroom. There was one thing she needed to get from downstairs before she could go into her bedroom.

Joannie turned when she noticed Lilly walking into the living room. "Hey… How was your shower?"

"Fine…" she deadpanned. Ignoring the looks given her way, Lilly bent down to grab the box while trying desperately to keep her towel from dropping. Oliver could tell she was getting easily frustrated and quickly stood up.

"Here, I'll get it for you," he offered.

"…Thanks…" Lilly took the box from her male best friend and sighed. "I'll…I'll be in my room, okay?"

"…Want me to come with you?" asked Oliver.

"No," Lilly hastily replied, holding a hand up to stop him. It seemed like no matter what she did now she'd just end up crying. "I-I need to d-do this myself…" Her voice cracked, making her wince.

"We'll be here if you need us." He offered her an encouraging smile, not expecting one in return- which he didn't get.

Nodding, Lilly climbed her way back up the stairs. Her heart hammered in her chest when she kept getting closer and closer to her room. It took everything she had to keep her mind focused on the warm, comfortable pajamas that would be waiting for her in there. With her eyes closed, Lilly pushed the door open. A tear slipped out from between her closed eyelids and before too long she re-opened them. Her room was exactly how she and Miley left it… If she didn't know any better, she could've sworn she felt her heart shatter, right there, into a million pieces. '_One step at a time…_' she thought to herself. Opening her dresser drawer, Lilly dug out some pajamas and started to get dressed.

Some time later, after she brushed out her hair, Lilly took tentative steps over to her bed. Her arms and legs shook- tears welling up- when her eyes landed on the purple-clad pillow that lie next to hers. _Miley's _pillow. She wiped her eyes before setting the box down on her side of the bed; not wanting to disturb Miley's side. If Miley wanted her to have this box, then it must've been really important to the brunette. Lilly groaned to herself at her rapidly shaking hands that slowly started opening the box.

The first thing Lilly took notice of were a small stack of leather bound journals that seemed to have years written on the lower right hand corner of each of them. Next to the journals were a few small photo albums, random mementoes, and…and Lilly's charm bracelet… Long moments passed before she picked up the small object. Remembering the day she gave it to Miley hurt more than she could've imagined. Pressing it to her heart, eyes closed, Lilly sat on the floor against her bed to calm her racing heart. For a split second it felt like Miley was sitting right there next to her, comforting her, and Lilly cursed herself for opening her eyes to see the harsh truth. Although, she took notice of something on the floor near her that was halfway under her bed. Curiosity got to her and she reached out for the piece of folded paper to find her name written on the front in Miley's handwriting. "What the…?" she started while flipping it over and began to read—

_Lilly,_

_Right now you're sleeping, and I can't help but admire you in your peaceful state. I'm captivated. Sleep won't overpower me at this moment because, not to sound cliché, I don't want to miss a single moment. Do you know how beautiful you are?_

_How much I simply love you?_

_You're everything I need. You're all I think about._

_I do everything I can, every day, to show you how much you mean to me. Sometimes I feel as if I'm not doing enough. There really aren't enough words. But, deep down, I know you can feel it._

_When you look in my eyes, everything else disappears. Nothing else matters._

_Whenever you laugh, my heart skips several beats._

_When you smile, I melt._

_When you kiss me… I'm in Heaven._

_I'm in pure bliss when we make love._

_I plan on loving you forever. I can't live without you. I don't want to know the agony of such a life (without you)._

_I hope you take my words to heart, because I mean every single one of them._

_Now I shall tuck this note next to you, kiss you goodnight, and fall asleep holding you in my arms. You're smiling right now and I can't contain myself any longer._

_I love you so much, Lilly-bear._

_-Love always, Miley  
-Oct. 9, '09_

Lilly hadn't noticed she was bawling until several teardrops dripped onto the bottom of the paper. Miley had written this for her on their _last _night together. The last night they had made love in Lilly's very own bed. So many memories flashed through her mind and she curled herself into her folded arms and bent up knees. "M-M-Miley…" she painfully sobbed out. "G-God, why?!"

The note drifted onto the floor while she cried over how everything in her life had been taken away from her so suddenly and she was now falling apart every single day. Life had no meaning without Miley. She knew she promised Miley she'd try to go on with life without her, but it wasn't that simple. Nothing was. But what was she supposed to do? She _promised _her something, and she never broke a promise to her beloved Miley.

Lilly suddenly felt suffocated. She needed to get out of there- out of the room that held so many last happy moments. On her hands and knees, she pushed herself up and harshly swung her door open.

Oliver darted after Lilly when she ran past him and Joannie in the living room, tears streaming down her face, towards the front door. "Lilly, hold up! What's wrong??" he panicked. His hands got hold of her right arm and pulled her back. She turned to face him and he froze for the second time that day.

"Everything!" she spat. Oliver didn't know what happened up there in her room, but her eyes held nothing but anguish and emptiness. Forcefully, she pulled herself out of his grasp, ripped the door open, and ran down the driveway. She didn't know where she was going; anywhere was better than being at her house right now.

Oliver, still frozen in place, stared in shock at his retreating best friend. All day long he looked at his friend and saw nothing but a wrecked girl. This time, though, was different. When she turned to him he didn't even recognize Lilly. That was when he realized that he not only lost Miley, but he lost Lilly as well. There was nothing left of her at all. Lilly Truscott was gone, leaving behind an empty shell that was once her in a previous time. He couldn't stop the tears as he slowly shut the door…

-----

"_**There is nothing left of you  
I can see it in your eyes  
Sing the anthem of the angels  
And say the last goodbye  
I keep holding onto you  
But I can't bring you back to life  
Sing the anthem of the angels  
And say the last goodbye"**_

_("Anthem of the Angels"- Breaking Benjamin)_**:( I know this is depressing, but stick with me... Please? lol I know a lot of you still like it and I have to thank you for it. It means a lot. I'll try to get the next chapter up as soon as I can, along with my other story. I'll most likely talk about the Emily concert on that one too, so yea :) Thanks again and please drop in your thoughts. Reviews make me happy :)**


	11. Here Comes Goodbye

**I didn't realize it's been, like, 2 months since I last updated this. Oopsie. Well, this chatper was pretty tough to write (again). Hopefully it's not too choppy, but I wanted it to feel like you're in the mind of those mourning. And during a funeral, you're not paying attention to every single detail going on around you. Just the pain you feel for the loss of a loved one. Hopefully this is written well enough. I think after this chapter, writing should come more smoothly for me. I'm not exactly sure how long this story is going to be, but I'm going to try to not have it bee extremely long. I'm still trying to make a full layout of this story. Anyways, enjoy.**

Chapter 11- Here Comes Goodbye

The overcast sky tugged at Lilly's interest. It wasn't going to rain, no, but it had made it cooler out nonetheless. Nobody seemed to mind though. Today was _the _day. The day of Miley's funeral. Lilly stared blankly out into the grey world in front of her. She let out a shaky sigh, running her right thumb over the tattooed heart on her other hand. Lilly kept hoping that today was going to be different. She couldn't possibly be going to a funeral. Not for Miley… Hot tears stung her red, itchy eyes and she pressed her forehead up against the cool glass of her window.

Heather walked into her daughter's bedroom, seeing as the door was open, and sadly looked over at Lilly sitting on the seat of her bay window. "Honey…" she spoke softly. "Are you almost ready to go?"

Lilly's head remained still on the window. "I…" Her voice cracked. "I-I don't know wh-what t-to wear…"

"Okay…" Heather slowly walked over to Lilly's closet, going through her clothes until she finally came across a simple, black dress. "This should work, sweetie." She turned when she received no reply and frowned. Lilly still hadn't moved. "…Lilly?" As if by force, she stepped closer to her daughter. "Honey… I know this is really hard on you. It's just, if you don't go, I know you'll regret it… Please let me help you."

"…Mom…" Lilly spoke in a near whisper with silent tears dripping from her eyes. "I'm not ready f-for this…"

After setting the dress down gently on the floor, Heather reached out to brush Lilly's golden hair away from her discolored face. "Nobody is, sweetie… You're not alone. We all miss Miley terribly."

"Wh-Why d-did she h-have to go…? Why couldn't the doctor's s-stop the bleeding? It's their job!" Lilly fell into her mother's arms sobbing. Heather, too, was crying along with her daughter.

"I don't know, Lilly… They did everything they could, and I know that doesn't change anything, but they tried…" Her hands rubbed soothing circles on Lilly's back in hopes to calm her devastated child. "Come on, sweetie; let's get you dressed, okay? We don't want to be late…"

"N-No," Lilly said, gently pusher herself away from Heather. "Don't m-make me say g-goodbye. _Please_ don't…"

"Nobody's making you say goodbye. There's no reason why you should." Heather was at a loss on what to do as Lilly kept crying, falling back into her embrace. "I don't think Miley would expect you to either." Using both of her hands, Heather brushed Lilly's hair back from her dampened face. "Miley's with you right now, sweetie. She'll be with you all day to help you through this."

Miley's words echoed softly in Lilly's mind. _"I'll always be with you… Don't forget that…"_

Seconds of silence filled the room before Lilly pulled back once again. "…I-I'll be down soon…" she hoarsely spoke.

"All right." Heather kissed her daughter's forehead. "Your father had to go back to his apartment for his suit, so he'll be meeting us there, okay?" Lilly nodded. After offering a sad smile, Heather left the room, wiping at her own eyes.

Lilly swallowed the large, painful lump in her throat, shakily stood up, and picked up the black dress her mother picked out from her closet. Last time she wore this dress was for one of her Aunt's weddings not too long ago. A happier time…

Shaking her head, Lilly pulled off her favorite blue pajamas to change into fresh undergarments and then the dress. Her hair was then put up into a bun; nothing fancy. After she put on simple jewelry and she was satisfied with how she looked, Lilly grabbed her purse from her desk, double checking to see what she needed was still inside it, and then left her bedroom. It was now or never.

(-)

Down at the Church, Robbie Ray was greeting friends, family, and other guests as they arrived. It kept his mind occupied and that was enough for him. A young woman who looked to be in her early twenties approached him. "Mr. Stewart?" she asked.

"That's me," Robbie replied kindly, shaking the girl's hand.

"I'm Rachel; Jackson's girlfriend…" Her eyes were sad. "I'm so sorry for your loss…"

"Thank you…" he whispered. "He, um… Jackson should be in the other room."

Rachel nodded and headed towards the main room of the Mortuary. Jackson was sitting in the last row of the seats, looking more lost than she has ever seen him. "Hi, Jackson," she whispered as she took a seat next to him.

Jackson's mood lifted slightly at the sight of his girlfriend. "God, Rachel, I'm so glad you're here…" He leaned in to embrace her in a hug, letting it linger for several moments. "You look really beautiful by the way," he complemented. Rachel was wearing a dark grey dress, her light brown hair pulled halfway up with hints of wave to it.

"Thanks, you look really nice too…" Rachel's head made its way to rest on Jackson's shoulders. Up ahead she could see the wooden, mahogany casket and couldn't help let out a shaky sigh. "I wish I could've gotten a chance to meet Miley."

A small smile graced Jackson's face. "Me too… I think you two would have gotten along pretty well."

She paused before asking, "Have you… Have you been, you know…up there yet?"

"No…" He sighed. "I've been trying to for the past half hour… I couldn't even look yesterday at the visitation…" Tears stung Jackson's eyes. "Sh-She's my baby sister…"

Without a word, Rachel pulled Jackson into her arms, letting him know that it was okay to cry in front of her. His tears soaked into the fabric of her clothes, otherwise he really didn't make a sound. "If you want, I'll go up there with you… You'll regret it if you don't."

"I-I know," he quietly replied, wiping his eyes. "It's just so hard, ya know?"

Rachel nodded. "I understand…" Together, they both stood up, linked hands, and slowly walked their way up to pay their regards to Miley.

Meanwhile, Heather pulled her car up next to Randall's. He had been waiting for them to arrive before heading inside. Swiftly, Randall made his way over to his family, wrapping Lilly into his strong arms. "It's going to be all right, kiddo," he whispered.

Lilly pulled back with a blank stare; making no eye contact. "No," she breathed almost _too _calmly. "They never will be again."

Randall's eyes widened and he looked at Heather. She was crying, trying hard not to have Lilly notice. Words failed him; he didn't know what there was to say to such hopelessness. Heather's hand found its way into his and they eventually followed Lilly into the church.

After saying their goodbye's to Miley, Jackson led Rachel over to the picture boards set up along the sidewalls of the church. Her heart ached at the sight of the happy teenage girl in the photos- the very girl she just saw in a casket. "Miley's so beautiful," she commented; voice tight. Jackson simply nodded, trying not to cry. "Who's this with her?" Her finger pointed at a picture of Miley with a pretty, happy blonde.

"That's Lilly… Miley's girlfriend that I told you about."

"They look so happy together…" Rachel reached out for Jackson's hand. "Is Lilly here yet?"

Turning his head, Jackson looked around the crowded are just in time to see Lilly, Heather, and Randall walk in. Just as he expected, Lilly looked like she hadn't slept well the last couple of nights. "She just arrived… I'll introduce you later. Now might not be the best time."

Rachel nodded. Her eyes locked on the sight of the devastated girl. She couldn't imagine what the poor girl was going through right now.

Across the room, Oliver excused himself from his parents and Joannie to make a quick dash over to Lilly. Without saying a word he pulled her into a tight embrace. Lilly more than gladly accepted the hug. "Hey," he whispered.

Sniffling, Lilly pulled back to look up at her oldest best friend. "Wh-Why can't I j-just wake up…?"

"I don't know… You know I want this to be just a horrible nightmare just as much as you do."

Oliver's words soothed Lilly to the point where she was able to break from the hug. "I-I need to see her…"

"Do you want me to go with you?" Oliver sincerely asked. Lilly nodded, tears pooling down her cheeks. He glanced around and found her parents talking with Robbie Ray and then placed his right hand on the small of Lilly's back. "Come on… I'll be with you the whole time, okay?"

Closing her eyes, Lilly allowed Oliver to lead her towards the front of the church. The one area she was dreading to be. Her body trembled with each step and at the feeling of finally coming to a stop she nearly lost control of all emotions. The quiet sob that escaped couldn't be helped. This was too hard; she couldn't open her eyes.

"Lilly…" Oliver's voice was hoarse, on the verge of breaking. He ran his hand up and down her back, preparing for whatever type of reaction that would come from Lilly.

Reluctantly, Lilly opened her eyes only to have the wind knocked out of her. There, right in front of her, was Miley- lying there peacefully. A huge part of herself wanted to believe that the brunette was simply sleeping and that she'd wake up at any given moment to tell her she was all right. Hearing Oliver's quiet sobs killed all hope of that. This was real. Miley was gone. Dead. Never coming back. And for the first time it really hit Lilly. She clung to Oliver and her loud cries were muffled into his chest. Lilly never wanted to believe this. Seeing Miley like this, so lifeless, wrecked everything inside the blonde.

Oliver's rapid tears splashed into his best friend's hair. "I-It's okay, Lil… I'm here…" Deep down, he knew nothing he could possibly say would soothe Lilly, but he wasn't going to stop trying.

"P-Please… Please j-just kill me…" Lilly desperately sobbed to him. "Please!"

"No; don't say things like that, Lilly, okay?" Oliver sternly told her. "_Don't _talk like that…" The sounds of Lilly choking on her own sobs were enough for Oliver to start pulling her way. "Shh, calm down… Let's get you away from here…"

"N-No, I c-can't!" Lilly quickly pulled herself out of his arms, almost collapsing onto the floor. "I…I'm _not _leaving her again!"

"Lilly…"

"Oliver, just…just g-give me a minute, o-okay…?" she said a little more calmly to him.

"Okay…" he whispered before turning to sit down in the front so he could be close in case Lilly needed him.

Lilly's throat was painfully tight and she didn't even bother drying her tears. With one swift turn, she was once again faced with her worst fear. Taking a tentative step forward, she placed her left hand on the edge of the casket. "…Miles…" Her voice was quiet as she examined her. Miley's hair was left in its natural soft curls. A beautiful purple sundress- which was the brunette's favorite- was worn along with various types of jewelry. Around her neck was a golden locket Susan Stewart, Miley's late mother, had given to Miley before she passed away from breast cancer. Lilly had seen this countless of times. On one side of the locket was a picture of Susan and Robbie and the other was one of Jackson and Miley. Several of Miley's favorite bracelets occupied her right wrist. It was as if she'd be dressed for any other day; just like Lilly knew she'd want to be dressed. There was just one thing missing…

Opening her purse with blurred vision, Lilly took out a small silver chain. On that chain was the white gold diamond ring Lilly had worked so hard for. She sucked in air in hopes it would make this easier. Her throat felt like she had swallowed nails when she tried to speak. "H-Hey, Miles…" she whispered through tears. "I-I _really _miss you and…and I seriously don't know what I'm going to do w-without you… I _need _you…" Tears rolled off the blonde's face onto her black dress. "Th-This isn't h-how things were s-supposed to be… Y-You were supposed to c-come home a-and…and I was s-supposed t-to give you…give you this…" Lilly opened her hand, exposing the sparkling ring resting on her palm. "I…I worked so hard getting this for you…" she whispered, keeping her eyes locked on the object. "I had it all planned." A small smile appeared on her lips, surprising her, but it quickly faded the moment her eyes landed on Miley. "We'd be in our apartment, on our three year anniversary. I would've made you your favorite dinner- Chicken Cordon-bleu- and light some candles… Then, as we sip on our sparkling cider, I…I would've p-proposed t-to you…" More tears flowed as Lilly slowly placed the ring below Miley's breasts, above her folded hands. Her whole body trembled when she completely let go of the chain. "Would y-you h-have said y-yes…?" she whispered through the large lump in her throat; crying.

Lilly suddenly felt extremely lightheaded. Everything spun around her and she stumbled, nearly falling over onto her back. Luckily someone had caught her and a few seconds later she felt herself being dragged back towards the seats. Unknown to her, due to the state of mind she was in, Lilly was crying hard; nearly making herself sick. All she wanted was for her life to end. Whatever _this _was, it wasn't anything anymore.

(-)

Heather glanced worriedly in the rearview mirror at Lilly. Her daughter didn't do very well during the service- hardly anyone had. To her luck though, Oliver decided to ride over to the cemetery with them. He was currently trying to quietly soothe Lilly while her head was resting against his right shoulder. It was obvious a big part of her daughter was gone.

"We're almost there," Randall quietly spoke up, taking his eyes off the back of Robbie's car to turn to his wife with sad, reddened eyes.

"This is going to be so hard…" Heather replied while dabbing her eyes with her very damp tissue. Randall's left hand then landed on her thigh and she tightly grasped onto him.

In the backseat, Lilly gripped her hold around Oliver. Seeing her parents being affectionate only reminded her that she'll never get to hold Miley again. She felt nauseous but did everything she could to control the urge to vomit.

Randall put his car in park after the cars in front to them had come to a slow stop. He let out a slow breath. "We're here, kiddo," he said to Lilly. "We're all here for you."

Lilly's gaze lifted to look out the car window. They were at…at the cemetery… She swallowed. Hard. Her body froze and Oliver had to help her out of the vehicle. In a complete daze she followed her parents, walking alongside Oliver, and barely acknowledged Joannie and her family joining them.

"Did she calm down in the car?" Joannie asked, whispering to Oliver.

"Yes… I don't think its going to last long. _I _don't even think I can do this." Oliver sighed.

"Miley's still with you, too, Ollie…" Joannie wrapped her arm around Oliver's waist. "She's with all of us. Right now."

"I know…" Oliver squeezed Lilly's shoulder when a soft cry escaped her lips.

Up ahead, Jackson looked in the direction of Lilly and Oliver. With a tear stained face he tapped his father's shoulder. "Dad, Lilly's here."

Robbie, eyes watering, turned immediately. Lilly looked incredibly pale and that was all it took for him to walk over to her. "Hey, Lilly," he whispered, taking her into his arms.

Heather stepped up next to Robbie, giving him a gentle hug from the side. "That was a beautiful service, Robbie… Your eulogy for Miley was fantastic," she sadly stated.

"Th-Thank you,' he shook out. "I…I think everyone's here now… I just want to get this over with…"

Lilly walked closer to her own father. His support was really important to her. Together, the large group headed to the crowd surrounding the grave site; sounds of people crying echoing all around them. Once they were stood in the front, Lilly watched as Robbie Ray struggled to control himself as he nodded to the Pastor standing next to Miley's casket. No one was prepared for how hard this was actually going to be.

Time seemed to move rather slowly as Pastor Richards spoke. No matter how hard she tried, Lilly couldn't take her eyes off of the closed casket only a couple feet away from her. Her grip around her father's waist tightened as fresh tears splashed down her reddened cheeks. '_Wake up, wake up… __**Please**__ wake up…'_ she silently begged herself. Every single word Pastor Richards spoke was all a huge blur to the blonde. The only thing that was audibly clear to her was Mr. Stewart's staggered sobs. Lilly obviously knew how much pain she was in, but Mr. Stewart? Lilly couldn't even begin to think how hard this was for him.

Looking to her left, Lilly watched as Oliver held Joannie from behind, his head leaning against hers, tears disappearing into her dark wavy hair. Joannie, too, was crying just as much as everyone else. It was this moment when Lilly felt like she wasn't really alone.

Unfortunately, the time came where they had to start lowering the casket. Ruthie, Ruby and Dolly, all sobbing uncontrollably, held Robbie back when he started crying out in protest, watching as his only daughter was being put to rest forever.

Randall clung to both his wife and daughter. Lilly was painfully clinging to him but that didn't matter right now. Heather buried her face into the crook of his neck as tears rolled down his face. Miley was an amazing girl… Why did this have to happen to her?

Lilly lost it when the casket was finally lowered. "N-No!" she cried into her father's chest, banging her fists into him. Her whole body went limp. If she wasn't so sure earlier, she sure as hell was now- Lilly wanted to die. This hurt way too much to bear. How could Miley ask her to do something she knew would be difficult to do? "M-M-Miley…" she cried out in agony.

Randall and Heather steadied their daughter. "Shh…It's okay, kiddo… It's okay…" he whispered into Lilly's hair. For the first time in years, Randall scooped Lilly up, knowing she wouldn't be strong enough at the moment to walk. "Let's get her home," he said to Heather. Randall figured it would be best to let the Stewart family have time to themselves, and all the other guests were sadly leaving anyways. Taking another glance over at Robbie and Jackson, Heather and Randall walked back to Randall's car with their sobbing little girl; Oliver, Joannie, and both their parents right behind them. The sky appeared to be darker as they all piled into their own vehicles.

(-)

Several hours later in the evening at the Stewart residence, Ruthie walked out onto the back patio, finding her son sitting on the steps looking out at the dark waves rolling onto the shore. Ruthie didn't mind the tears as she took a seat next to Robbie. To her surprise, Robbie was the first to speak.

"I…I keep e-expecting to see h-her whenever I t-turn around…" he spoke barely above a whisper.

"I know, sweetie… So do I…" Ruthie placed her right hand on her son's knee.

"Those boys th-that caused this…They…They got their licenses t-taken away and…and their going to Juvi…They were sixteen."

"At least they won't hurt anyone else…"

"That doesn't matter, Mom… It should've been them! It was their fault!" Robbie covered his face with his hands; body shaking in violent sobs.

Ruthie was quick to wrap him in her arms, her own tears flowing more freely. "I know it's unfair, Robbie Ray… At least they're getting punished and didn't just get a slap on the wrist…"

Robbie Ray knew he hadn't cried this hard since he watched Miley pass away right in front of him, and knew holding it in was hard on him. But now, after Miley's burial, he could finally let it all go. He didn't have to think about funeral plans or anything like that anymore. Sure, he was going to announce on live TV. about Miley being Hannah, but he didn't have to rush it. Not yet.

Warm arms tightened around him. Holding onto his mother in a moment like this was everything to him. So he continued to cry his heart and soul out into her hair, wanting nothing more than Miley to come up to embrace him as well. But that wasn't going to happen. And that tore his heart to shreds…

(-)

Three blocks away at the Truscott house, Oliver finished filling a glass of water and turned the faucet off. Lilly had begged him, in tears, to stay with her. She didn't want to be alone. Sighing, he grabbed the bottle of Advil, turning to Mr. and Mrs. Truscott. "I'll bring this out to Lilly," he offered.

"Thank you, Oliver," Randall tiredly replied from his position on the couch. Heather was sound asleep, nestled right up against his side.

Opening the back door, Oliver walked out into the night, taking his time on walking towards the shore. Lilly had come out here a couple of hours earlier with her favorite beach towel and just laid there, looking out at the ocean. Oliver took a seat next to her on the sand. "I got you some Advil for your headache…" He held out the glass of water.

Lilly managed to push herself up, talking the glass from him. Oliver then handed her two pills and she downed them in one gulp. "…Thanks…" she rasped out. Her throat was raw, but she really didn't care anymore.

"No problem." Oliver bent his knees up, resting his arms against them. It was surprising that the weather had cleared up in the past couple of hours. Although, it was starting too cool off quite a bit. "You've been out here for a while… Do you want to go inside yet?"

"No…" Lilly shook her head. "Oliver?" she asked after a moment of silence.

"Hmm?" He turned his head to face her.

"Um… Down at the church… I, um… Thanks f-for not letting me fall up th-there…"

Oliver furrowed his eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

Now she was confused. "Wh-When I was up there saying…saying my goodbyes… I almost fainted a-and someone caught me before I could fall. I…I just assumed it w-was you."

"No… I saw you were about to fall backwards but you stumbled and caught yourself. I went up there after I knew you were…well, not all right...but you know… Nobody was up there with you."

"But… I _felt _someone catch me." Lilly and Oliver were silent. Lilly knew she couldn't just imagine a feeling like that. She felt safe, she felt loved, she felt…_something._

A light, warm breeze blew over the two friends. The scent of tropical bliss could faintly be smelt, and from that, Lilly's eyes looked up at the sky. Closing her eyes, she let the familiar smell take over her. It was brief but Lilly actually felt like Miley was right there with them. That's when it hit her.

_Miley…_

"…What are you thinking, Lil?" Oliver asked curiously.

"Nothing," she whispered. Her eyes re-opened once the breeze settled. "Just…Miley…"

Oliver wrapped an arm across his blonde-haired best friend. He leaned his head against her soft hair. "You felt it, too, didn't you?"

"Y-Yeah…" Tears threatened to spill over. "I did…"

'_I love you, Miles… Please take me with you…Please…'_

* * *

"_Here comes goodbye, here comes the last time  
Here comes the start of every sleepless night  
The first of every tear I'm gonna cry  
Here comes the pain, Here comes me wishing things had never changed  
And she was right here in my arms tonight, but here comes goodbye_"

('Here Comes Goodbye' – Rascal Flatts)

* * *

**:'( Please review.**

**I will try to get this updated a little more quickly. Thanks for reading.**

**P.S. Does anyone know why it won't keep the dividers in? The ones I usually do (little dashes -like that)? It's kind of bugging me.**


	12. You're Gone

**I am trying very hard to update this as much as I can. I kinda suck at that... :-/ But anyways, thank you all who reviewed the previous chapter, and thanks to those who are new reviewers. It means a lot :) I don't have much else to say here, so enjoy this next chapter. Well, enjoy it as much as you can at least, lol. It's less sad than other chapters have been, in my opnion anyways, but still sad.**

Chapter 12- You're Gone

One week had passed since the funeral and during that time Robbie Ray had given the public announcement of the true identity of Hannah Montana. Seeing as though he had all the proof in the world that it was in fact true, people took the news without question. Now it was all over the news/media that the world's most beloved pop star had died from internal bleeding due to a fatal car accident. It was pretty much on every single channel much to Lilly's dismay. She knew Mr. Stewart had to do this eventually, but it was making this ten times harder on all of them. Lilly admitted to being Lola Luftnagle so she had to constantly hide from the press. Did they really think she'd be up to talking about her best friend's death after two weeks? People could be so hurtful, so spineless.

To top it all off, Lilly's parents were forcing her to go back to school today. She didn't want to put up with everyone at school now that they knew Miley was Hannah all this time.

Placing her hairbrush down onto her sink, Lilly looked back at her reflection in the bathroom mirror. Her eyes were red and puffy. Dark bags were noticeable underneath and her skin had paled more. Did she care? No.

"Lilly! Breakfast is ready if you're hungry!" Heather called up from the kitchen.

Lilly sighed, exiting her bathroom. She was never hungry anymore. In fact, she had lost two pounds since Miley passed away. If she didn't eat though, her parents would be all over her, begging her to open up to them and let them help her. _That _was the last thing she needed. In no time at all, Lilly made it to the kitchen, nearly gagging over the strong smell of eggs, bacon, and toast.

"Morning, kiddo," Randall greeted from the table.

Lilly didn't reply. She slumped in her seat. "…Why do I have to go back?" she asked.

"Honey, you've been gone for about three weeks. You can't miss much more or else you might fall so far behind you won't be able to catch up," replied Heather. "It's your senior year…"

"It doesn't matter how long I'm away from school. Do you _really _think I'm going to care or worry about homework right now?" snapped Lilly.

"You have to try, Lilly." Heather set a plate filled with food in front of her daughter. "Besides, your Principal wants you to clean out Miley's locker today, remember?"

Lilly's eyes clouded over with sorrow. She had told Oliver to tell their Principal that she wanted to be the one to do it, and he agreed to her request, but she was uneasy about it. The only good thing about it was that the school allowed Lilly to move into Miley's locker instead of some random student. Sadness took over her voice as she asked, "Do I have to stay the _whole _day?"

Setting his fork down, Randall glanced up. "If you really feel like you can't handle it, you can come home, okay? But I'm not comfortable with the idea of you being alone, so call one of us."

"Fine…" she sighed, poking her food with a fork.

"Just promise us you'll try to stay," he said again.

"Yes, I promise, okay?" Lilly snapped. She ignored the disapproving looks being thrown her way. With very little interest, Lilly continued to poke at the food in front of her. She still wasn't hungry. Pushing the plate aside, Lilly got up.

"Lilly, please eat your breakfast," Heather pleaded.

"I'm not hungry." Lilly picked up her backpack and swung it over her right shoulder. Before her parents could protest, she was out the door.

"Randy, shouldn't we bring her ourselves? You know, to make sure she actually goes?"

"No," he replied. "Oliver's going to walk with her. She'll be all right…"

"I suppose…" Heather then pulled out the egg dish from the oven. "Well, Robbie, Jackson, and Ruthie should be here in a little bit."

Randall looked up. "Did Ruby and Dolly leave already?"

"Last night, I believe." She placed the dish on the table, taking a seat next to her husband. "I wonder what he wanted to talk to us about."

"Not sure… Sounded important, though."

Suddenly the doorbell rang. Heather finished setting the table and quickly walked over to open the door. "Hi, Robbie," she greeted warmly before hugging him.

"Hey…" Robbie returned the hug before entering the house. "Thanks for having us over."

Ruthie shut the door behind her. "Yes, it's nice to get out and about."

"Not a problem at all," Heather replied.

Jackson followed to take a seat at the table with everyone else. He took a look around. "So, did Lilly end up going to school today?"

"Yup," replied Randall. "We pretty much made her. She needed to eventually."

Robbie nodded, agreeing. "How's Lilly doing anyways? I haven't seen her much."

"Not well," Heather sadly stated. "She hasn't been eating much…"

"The poor dear…" Ruthie started to dig into her food. "Miley certainly was crazy about Lilly."

"They were both crazy about each other," Heather softly said. "Hardly ever apart…"

Jackson glanced at his Dad, nodding for him to bring up what he came here to talk about.

Clearing his throat, Robbie spoke up. "About that…" He sighed. "Um…I bought the cemetery plot next to Miley's, and…well, unless you're not okay with it, I was thinking that maybe, perhaps, Lilly would have it… If she wants…"

Both Randall and Heather looked at Robbie in shock. It was such a…generous offer. "I, um…" Heather paused to gather her thoughts. "D-Don't you want that for family or yourself?"

"When my time comes I'm going to be right next to Susan back in Tennessee… Besides, Lilly _is _family." Robbie stopped to wipe his eyes. "I know Miley would want to be next to her…"

Heather, at a loss for words, got up from her seat to hug Robbie- tears rolling down her face. Randall looked Robbie in the eye from across the table. His eyes held nothing but sincerity. "I think Lilly would want that, too…"

"I'm sorry," Heather said as she pulled back. "I don't mean to cry…" She dabbed at her eyes some more.

"Hey…" Robbie looked at her with all seriousness. "You don't need to be sorry about cryin', okay?" She nodded in reply. Everyone soon continued breakfast in silence; nobody knowing what to say. The silence pained Robbie deeply. Miley always had something to say and right now, he wanted that more than anything. With a shaky intake of breath, he took a bite of his food.

…

Ignoring the constant whispers and stares proved to be harder than Lilly thought it would be as she slowly walked down the school hallways. It had been going on all morning, and Oliver kept reassuring her everything was going to be fine. Surprisingly, to both of them, hardly anyone had actually bothered her. Obviously they all knew about the Hannah/Lola secret. One would think they'd want to bug her about it.

"Lilly! Lilly, wait up!"

She stopped in the middle of the hall to turn to the familiar voice. It was none other than Sarah. Lilly remained silent.

Sarah caught up, eyes sad, and stood in front of her friend. "Lilly, I…" She paused. "I-I'm _so _sorry…" Her voice was low and sincere. Sarah wanted Lilly to know she was there for her if she needed her to be.

The lump in Lilly's throat increased in size. Lilly's eyes averted downward; she really didn't want to talk about the subject. "I, um… I h-have to clean her locker out…" she hoarsely informed.

"Do you need anyone to be with you? I could go find Oliver…"

"N-No… No, I-I need to d-do it myself," she replied. "But, um…I'm going t-to do that at lunch…"

"Okay…" Sarah nodded. "Just… Just promise me you'll get someone if it's too much to handle, all right?"

"…I will…" Lilly knew she sounded pretty unconvincing, but, again, she didn't care. "I…I need to go…" she spoke, excusing herself. When Sarah waved as Lilly walked away, the blonde had hardly noticed. All Lilly had in mind was to get to class early just so she could sit and settle her mind for a little while

…..

Every single class went by in a complete blur. The only thing Lilly was able to focus on were the empty seats that sat either in front of, behind, or next to her. Tears trickled down her face as she sat in Mr. Corelli's class staring helplessly at the seat in front of her. Turning her view away, she reburied her face into her folded arms. Lunch was after this class and she was dreading it. Cleaning out Miley's locker was going to incredibly difficult.

The bell rang minutes later and all of the students filed out after sympathetically looking over at Lilly; whom remained in her seat. Once they were all out of the room, Mr. Corelli slowly walked his way towards her. "Lilly? Mind if I have a word before you go?"

"Sure…" the blonde deadpanned.

"Look, um…" He took a seat on top of a desk next to Lilly. "I understand that you're going through a very difficult time and that school work is probably not your main priority." Lilly nodded slowly. "Well, while you were gone, I assigned a very important project for the seniors that will take a lot of time and concentration doing…" Corelli paused as Lilly flinched slightly. "No, no… Don't worry. I have something else you could do and it's pretty simple."

Lilly glanced up, looking unconvinced. "…Really?"

"Yes." He placed a black and white Composition notebook in front of her. "The only thing you need to do for this class is just write whatever you want. I'll count it as much credit as the project, no matter how much you write. Would this work for you?"

"Y-You don't have to do this…"

"I insist," he interrupted. "I already talked to the Principal about it. Lilly, the last thing you need to deal with is this project. I want to help you as much as I can…"

Tightness formed in her throat. "Thank you…" she whispered.

"No problem, Lilly."

Grasping the notebook that already had her name and class written on the cover, Lilly stood and walked herself out of the room.

Right outside the door, around the corner, Oliver stood leaning against the wall. Joannie stood in front of him, searching his eyes. "Are you sure you want to wait to eat?"

"I won't be long," he reassured. "I just want to make sure Lilly will be able to do this by herself."

"All right." Joannie gave him a quick peck on the lips. "I'll save you a seat."

"Thanks…" Both of them smiled and waved as Joannie walked away to the cafeteria. Letting out a sigh, Oliver peeked around the corner once again, only this time Lilly was approaching. He stayed silent.

Lilly, on the other hand, was a huge bundle of nerves. Her eyes continued to focus on the lockers she was quickly approaching. Two steps later, she was face to face with her destination. She let out a low, heavy sigh. "I-I can do this…" she whispered to herself. So, with shaky hands, Lilly reached out for Miley's lock and carefully dialed the combination she knew all too well until it clicked. Creaking echoed in the empty hallway when she pulled the locker door open. Just as she expected, everything was neatly in place- just as Miley liked it. Shaking off the urge to burst into tears, Lilly dug in right away by pulling out the school textbooks. Since Miley had always kept papers into selected folders instead of stuffing them into books, Lilly got all the books out quickly and removed the protective book covers. Aside from the occasional tear slipping down from her eyes, she felt that she was doing pretty well at this. Grabbing her backpack, Lilly pulled the zipper open so she could load all of Miley's folders into it. Lilly's heart ached terribly. She gave up on trying to keep herself from crying; it wasn't doing her much good.

Shaking her head, Lilly cleared her head so she could stay focused. Although, when she turned her head to the right, she froze. Various photos hung nicely on the inside of the locker door. There were four to be exact: one of Miley and Jackson each making ridiculous faces, one of Miley and Robbie hugging with warm, happy smiles on their faces, one of Oliver giving Miley a piggyback ride, and, finally, one of Miley and Lilly kissing on the Santa Monica Pier last year. Memories came flooding back to Lilly as she sadly stared at the photograph…

_**~Fall 2008~**_

_"Shut up!" Lilly laughed, covering her flushed face with her hands._

_Miley kept laughing hysterically along with Oliver. They had all just gotten off the rollercoaster, teasing the blonde for when Oliver scared the living daylights out of her near the end of the ride. He had sat behind the couple and reached over to grab Lilly's shoulders while screaming 'Boo' as loud as he could. Miley had been laughing since._

_"I-I'm sorry," laughed Miley, wiping tears from her eyes. "You should have seen the…the look on your face!"_

_"Oh yeah?" She raised an eyebrow. "You should see the look on your face when I chase you!" A laugh now escaped Lilly when Miley's eyes widened and ran off as she chased her. "Get back here, Miles!"_

_Miley stopped when she reached the railings of the boardwalk and turned just in time for Lilly to wrap her arms around her torso; both laughing. "Why aren't you attacking Oliver? He's the one who scared you!" She smiled._

_"That's because I'm the protective male friend and she doesn't want to hurt me," Oliver confidently gloated._

_"You just wait, Oken," Lilly spoke. "I'll get you when you least expect it."_

_Oliver's eyes widened before he flashed an innocent smile. "Have I mentioned how much I love you guys?"_

_"Nice try." Lilly turned back to Miley, smiling. "What should I do with you, though?"_

_"Love me forever and ever?" Miley smiled._

_Lilly could feel her heart flutter pleasantly. "Sounds good to me." Cupping Miley's right cheek with her hand, she pulled her in for a long, sensual kiss. Neither of them acknowledged the fact that Oliver took out his camera and took a picture of the two of them in such a blissful moment…_

…_.._

"…Forever and ever…" whispered Lilly while placing all the photos into one of her folders for safe keeping. She knew it'd be risky to keep any photos of her beloved Miley in their lockers. Since the Hannah secret was released, Lilly didn't really trust the students at school. She was glad that no one had tried breaking into her and Miley's lockers to get personal items.

Right as she was about to open her locker to transfer her things, noises from down the hall could be heard. Glancing in the directions of the noise, she could see a few guys laughing while walking in her general direction. None of them seemed to notice she was there. One of the guys she knew to be Gabe Lamatti.

"Man, can you guys believe that Miley Stewart was secretly Hannah Montana?" Gabe laughed.

"No kidding," a dark brown-haired guy smiled. "And to think she used to have a thing for you before she started dating Truscott."

Lilly's eyes narrowed as she quietly closed her locker. Her eyes were trained on the small group of guys. Something about the way they were talking was getting to her.

"Dude, trust me, if I had known, I would have screwed the shit out of her. Miley was pretty hot, but damn… Hannah Montana! That just tops it!" All three guys high-fived each other, laughing.

That was the final straw; Lilly snapped. "Shut up!" she shouted, slamming Miley's locker shut, causing the sound to loudly echo.

Gabe's body turned in a flash. "L-Lilly…I, um… What's up?"

"Dude, maybe we should get out of here," the third guy whispered.

Lilly stormed over to them, her blazed over eyes focused on Gabe. Without really thinking about it, Lilly pushed him. Hard. "Don't you ever, _**ever**_, talk about Miley like that again, you hear me!" she yelled.

"Whoa, Truscott… Calm down, okay?" He held his hands up in hopes of defending himself. "All I'm saying is that you were lucky to have been able to nail her."

Oliver, still in his hiding place, wasn't able to move fast enough to stop Lilly's next action. In a blink of an eye she brought her arm back and swung to punch Gabe square in the jaw. "Lilly!" he shouted, rushing over to her before she could swing again.

"Take it back!" she spat, tears stinging her eyes.

Holding his jaw in shock, Gabe turned to see an angry Oliver glaring at him. "Dude, I…"

"Just get out of here before I kick your ass, Gabe," he growled, holding Lilly back with both his arms.

All three boys left without hesitation, leaving Oliver alone in the hallway with Lilly. "It's okay, Lilly… It's over. He's gone…"

Not being able to hold it in any longer, Lilly broke down in heavy sobs; nearly dropping to her knees. Oliver's arms turned her to bring her into a comforting hug as tears streaked down her face. Lilly clung to him, wanting nothing more than to be back home where no one would bother her. "I-I…I want t-to g-go home…" she cried out into Oliver's chest. "I w-want my D-Dad…"

"Okay," he soothed. "I'll get you to the office. Let's just lock your lockers up first, all right?" After Lilly gave a weak nod in reply, Oliver led her back over to get her backpack and Miley's textbooks. He securely locked each locker and decided that he would check up on them throughout the day. Once he was satisfied that everything was together, Oliver walked his sobbing best friend up to the Nurse's office. He would deal with Gabe himself later.

…..

Randall switched off the TV when a light knock was heard at the door. He carefully pulled his arm free from around his daughter, trying not to wake her, and slowly stood up. It had been a couple of hours since he picked Lilly up from school, so Randall figured school had to be out by now. Opening the door, he was greeted with Oliver.

"Hey, is Lilly doing any better?" Oliver asked in concern.

"She's sleeping now… Hasn't really talked much since we got home."

Oliver sadly looked down at the photos in his hands. "Well, um… Could you tell her that I moved her stuff into Miley's locker for her? I took out her pictures…" He held them out for Randall to take, forgetting about his bruising hand. "She doesn't want to risk anybody stealing them."

"I'll make sure she gets them." There was a short pause and Randall wanted to ask about Oliver's hand, but decided against it- for now. Instead he asked, "How are you holdin' up, Oliver?"

"Okay I guess," he sighed out. "My mind's been pretty focused on making sure Lilly's all right."

"I'm sure Lilly will pull through just fine. Something tells me Miley's watching out for her."

Smiling, Oliver thought back to what happened the day of Miley's funeral. "Something tells me that, too… Anyways, I need to go meet up with Joannie. Let Lilly know I stopped by."

"Will do. See you around, Oliver." They both gave a single wave before Randall quietly closed the door.

In the living room, Lilly sluggishly woke up, noticing right away of her father's absence. She sat up, rubbing her tired eyes, and glanced around. "Dad?" she croaked out.

Randall rushed back into the family room. "Hey, kiddo." He gave her a small smile. "Oliver just dropped by. He brought these for you from your locker." Lilly gently took them from him after he held them out for her. "He wanted me to tell you that he transferred your things into Miley's locker for you…"

Nodding, Lilly kept her eyes on the photos. The top one was a favorite of her and Miley. Their faces were pressed together with radiant smiles. What Lilly loved most about the picture was how amazing Miley's eyes looked. She could always tell how happy the brunette truly was just by gazing into her blue depths.

Feeling the familiar tightness in her throat, Lilly stood up, shakily, and looked up at her Dad with sorrowful eyes. "I…I'm going to bring these upstairs…" she informed in a near whisper.

"I'll be down here if you need me…"

Lilly walked down the hallway towards the stairs. Pounding pulsed through her head due to the headache she had unfortunately formed from all the stress and crying. Once in her room, Lilly set the pictures on her desk, turned, and stared at her messy bed. She still hadn't slept in it since she and Miley did. Instead, she had placed her sleeping bag on the floor next to Miley's side. That was as close as she could allow herself to go.

Sharp pain shot through her forehead. Pressing her left hand against it, Lilly continued her journey to the bathroom. She _had _to get rid of this headache.

Blue eyes scanned the medicine cabinet before settling on a small bottle of Asprin. Thoughts swam throughout her mind at the sight of it. Nothing so small, so simple, had ever been more appealing to Lilly than the pills were to her right now. She held onto it; just staring. Those little white pills could solve everything. They could… They could bring her to Miley… She would no longer have to suffer without her; constantly remembering happier times, knowing she could never gain more. Lilly cherished those memories more than anything in the world, but it stung her to no end.

Rattling sounded as she popped the lid open. She was so close to what she wanted. Lilly turned, taking a step forward in an attempt to grab her plastic cup, not seeing a towel that lay on the floor by her feet. Her foot twisted in the soft fabric, causing her to fall forward; all the pills spilling out on the floor around her. Lilly knocked over several other items on her way down, making quite a ruckus. Tears spilled over in frustration. Lilly threw the bottle across the room, smacking hard against the door.

Seconds later, Randall came running into the room. He froze at the sight of his daughter crying helplessly on the floor with dozens of pills surrounding her. His heart froze. "Lilly!" Randall slid down to the floor next to her; scooping her head up onto his lap. "What's going on?" Panic rose in his voice.

"I-I…I need them!" she shouted. "Please, Dad… J-Just let me…"

Seeing her haistily reach out for them, Randall grabbed at her arms, pulling them back. "No!" he sternly voiced. Lilly kept fighting against him, yelling in protest as he kept stopping her from getting to them. "Lilly, please, stop!" After a few more seconds of struggling, Lilly gave up and fell into a heap on her father's lap. It wasn't until then that Randall realized he was crying. Lilly's sad, reddened eyes bore into his. "You don't need them, you understand me?"

Coughs were all that escaped Lilly's throat. Feeling her Dad pushing her hair away from her face made her calm down some. "I w-want to… I-I need M-Miley…"

"Not like this, kiddo…" When Lilly's hand clasped over his, squeezing, he lost any other self control he had. He shed his tears at the fact that he could have lost his daughter. Randall was now truly afraid of losing her. Pulling her further onto his lap, he held her close, allowing Lilly to cry into his neck. If Lilly attempted suicide once, he figured she'd most likely try it again. What scared him the most was that he was terrified that she'd try again when no one was around. _'We need you, Miley," _he pleaded in his mind. _'We need you to help keep Lilly safe… Please…'_

Closing his eyes, Randall sat in the middle of the now messy bathroom, crying with Lilly at the loss of everything that had made them whole. It broke his heart that he hand no idea how to help his little girl be happy again.

…..

"_And I bless the day I met you  
And I thank God that He let you  
Lay beside me for a moment that lives on  
And the good news is I'm better  
For the time we spent together  
And the bad news is you're gone…"_

( "_**You're Gone**_" – Diamond Rio)

…..

**Thanks for reading. I know the ending of the chapter was pretty crazy, but come on... poor Lilly :( Since I have an outline going for this, and I know what I want to happen in the next couple of chapters coming up, I will try to get more updated soon. I haven't been too good on keeping that promise, but I will try. Thanks again, so much, for reading. Please leave your thoughts. They mean the world to me :)**


	13. Butterfly, Fly Away

**You guys are absolutely amazing. I've been loving the reviews from all of you. Two in particular just warmed my heart. _Phoebe, _I'm touched that you love this so much and I couldn't help but smile when you said I was on your list of favorite authors next to JK Rawlings, Nicholas Sparks, and Stephanie Meyer. You're too kind :) Also, _Wendy, _saying I was an isnperation. I'm glad you're enjoying this so much :) Thank you both for such wonderful reviews. It inspires me a great deal.**

**And of course, to all my buddies. You guys rock. I would list you all, but wow, there's a lot of you lol. Just know I'm thankful to have your guys' support on this :) Love ya all!**  
**Oh, and something cool happened a few days ago... EMILY TWITTERED ME! I'm still giddy about that, haha.**

**Andyways... I tried very hard to get this posted sooner but things got in the way. As usual. But I got this posted before the first on August, lol. That was my goal. Cos last time I updated was the first of this month (July). Sorry bout the wait :-/ Hope you enjoy the chapter. I listened to "Butterfly Fly Away" while working on this and it added a lot to it. Just sayin. Enjoy :)**

Chapter 13- Butterfly, Fly Away

November 23, 2009

Jackson's Room- 2:03 a.m.

Jackson tossed and turned in bed. He had been having trouble sleeping for several hours now. Sleep was near, but the poor boy was restless. Tears slipped from his closed eyelids and he was about to give up hope on getting any kind of rest that night.

A light breeze filtered in through his half open bedroom window; gently flowing over him. Jackson's restlessness ceased and soon sleep took over, finally giving the young man some peace…

…

_Hazel eyes roamed over their surroundings. The first thing Jackson took notice of was that he was back home in Tennessee. A pleasant smile spread across his face as he glanced around at his view: the barn and house was off in the distance, small hills further out, and all their horses grazing out in the fields. He hadn't felt this much at peace in a long while now._

_"Hi, Jackson."_

_Jackson turned and froze at the very sight of his little sister. "Miles…?" he whispered in disbelief._

_Miley, jumping off a branch from their favorite climbing tree, happily ran over to Jackson and was wrapped up in his awaiting arms. His body soon shook slightly against hers. "It's okay, Jackson," she murmured._

_"I-It's so good to see you." Pulling back, Jackson took a good look at his sister. Miley was smiling at him. She looked so much better than she did during her final hours at the hospital. "What's going on?"_

_"You're in what others would call your happy place. The one place where you want to be more than anything in the world…"_

_"Here in Tennessee with my whole family…" he finished._

_All Miley could do was smile. "There __**is **__a reason why I'm here, Jackson. I need you to do something important for me."_

_"Anything," he replied._

_"Well, today's my birthday and…Dad's going to have a really hard time with it. So, I want you to give him that CD I made for him…"_

_Jackson was completely floored. "Miles, I… Didn't you want him to have that on Christmas?"_

_"Originally, I did…" Miley then took a seat on the ground, Jackson soon following. "It's going to help him. You may not think it will, but trust me… Dad needs to hear it." She looked her brother in the eyes. "Make sure he knows how much I love him…"_

_"I will…" Both siblings leaned in for a fierce hug; tears glistening in each of their eyes. "Everyone misses you so much, Miley."_

_Miley pulled back, smiling sadly. "I know…" she whispered. "…Do you have any idea how hard it is watching Lilly suffer like this? There's only so much I can do."_

_Jackson squeezed Miley's hand. "She gave her Dad quite a scare a couple weeks ago… Luckily she hasn't tried anything else like that since then…" Several moments passed in silence; the only sounds that could be heard were the birds chirping happily in the trees above. A question Jackson had been wondering about suddenly came forward. "…Lilly really needs you… Are you going to visit her like this?"_

_"There's a time and place for everything," the young brunette replied honestly. "Unfortunately, the time isn't here yet."_

_Jackson was utterly confused. "Wh-What do you mean 'the time isn't here yet'? Lilly's slipping away from us…"_

_"Please, just trust me, Jackson," Miley forced out almost painfully. "Lilly needs to overcome something first, and until then, there's not much I can do. I'm here, now, for you… I really need you to give Dad that CD today, okay?"_

_Letting out an understanding sigh, he nodded. "Okay…"_

_Miley glanced up at the bright blue Tennessee sky. "I hate to say this, but…I should get going." When she brought her attention back to her older brother, she couldn't miss the tears still glistening in his eyes. "I have things to do today… Lots of people to watch out for."_

_"Understandable…" After sharing a small smile, they both leaned in for one more hug. Jackson had to try his hardest to keep himself together._

_Miley pulled back to place her hand over Jackson's heart. "I'm always here, Jackson. Don't forget that."_

_"I-I won't," he spoke in a near whisper. Jackson kept his eyes on his little sister as she stood up, brushing dirt off herself. "Hey, Miles?" She turned, giving him her full attention. "Where did you put the CD?"_

_The brunette smiled. "You'll know," she replied, laughing at Jackson's confused raised eyebrow. "Trust me… You'll know."_

_Before he could ask any more questions, a bright light shone around Miley. She smiled sadly as she waved bye to him and then she was gone…_

…

Sleep filled eyes slowly blinked open and, for a split second, Jackson forgot where he was. Glancing at his alarm clock he noticed it was now a little past three-thirty in the morning. Miley's words were fresh in his mind and he couldn't help but smile. "Thanks, Miley…" he whispered into the darkness before surrendering to a peaceful slumber. He felt at ease for the first time in over a month.

….

At 5:30 in the morning, Lilly Truscott was lying on her back, a bouquet of red roses in her right hand, looking up as the sky turned lighter with tears brimming her blue eyes. Her left hand lightly grazed over the cool grass beneath her. The warm, Malibu breeze swept over her; sweeping strands of hair across her face.

Guilt had been eating away at her for a while now for not visiting since the funeral, but Lilly simply couldn't get herself to go through with it. Up until now at least. She put all her feelings aside because it was Miley's eighteenth birthday.

Shifting so she could lie on her stomach, Lilly stared straight ahead at the tombstone.

Miley Ray Stewart

November 23, 1992 – October 11, 2009

'Heart & Soul of Hannah Montana'

Lilly swallowed hard. "Happy birthday, Miley…" As gently as possible, she arranged the roses so they'd be firmly in place next to the stone, where several other forms of flowers were placed as well. "I, um… I'm sorry I-I haven't been out here yet… I just… I can't accept the fact th-that I'll never…" Her voice cracked. "I'll n-never see you, or hold you, _ever _again…" She buried her face into her folded arms, sobbing. It wasn't until the blonde's stomach started churning that she attempted to calm herself down. "P-Please don't be mad at me…" she begged. "I know I haven't been keeping m-my promise… I know I'm not trying very hard, but… God, you have no idea how hard it is t-to live w-without you…"

Moving her hair away from her face, Lilly glanced over at her tipped over bike on the empty ground next to her. She had left without telling her parents, so she knew she couldn't stay long. Even though all she wanted was to stay here next to Miley. Permanently. But, if the blonde's parents awoke to find her missing, they would most likely call for a search party. Since the incident last month, nobody trusted her to be alone.

Sighing shakily, Lilly scooted closer to place a kiss on top of the tombstone; both hands on each side. Her forehead leaned against the cool surface as she sincerely said, "Happy birthday… I love you _so _much…" Giving one last kiss, Lilly pushed herself up, brushed off her black tank top and dark blue pajama bottoms, and adjusted herself onto her bike to head home. Lilly looked back behind her, a tear streaking down her face, before peddling off. It was a pretty long distance- from her house to here- but, like she felt with everything else, she didn't care.

…

A couple of hours later, Jackson crept his way towards Miley's room. It was a little after seven in the morning and, to his surprise, his father was still in bed sleeping. There was no way Jackson wanted to wake him. Robbie needed the rest.

Once inside the room, Jackson glanced around with a thoughtful expression on his face. Miley said he would _know _where the CD was. Could it really be that simple? The question answered itself as his hazel eyes landed on Miley's desk. Something about it called to him. Probably the fact that the top right hand drawer was slightly open. He could've sworn it was closed last time he checked… Jogging over, the brown-haired young man opened it the rest of the way and, surly enough, there was the jewel cased CD. He smiled, closed the drawer, and quickly made his way out to find a gift bag to place it in.

Jackson had found a bag easily enough and was now cooking up breakfast. It was shocking to him not to find Mamaw at work already. She had left a note, though, stating she went out for errands and would be back later. Mamaw was staying with them more permanently now. She had gone out to Tennessee a few weeks back to get pretty much everything she owned and came back right away. She now lived in the guest bedroom and Jackson and Robbie were more than happy to have her there.

Lost in thought, Jackson didn't notice Robbie entering the kitchen; stopping at the sight of his son cooking breakfast for three. "Well, this is a nice surprise," he mused, smiling.

Jackson looked up, slightly startled. "Oh, hi, Dad. I, um… I just felt like cooking."

"Nothin' wrong with that." Robbie continued over towards the cupboards and pulled out plates. "Where's your Mamaw?"

"Went out for errands," he replied.

"Ah. Well, we are running low on food. So that's good I suppose."

"Yeah…" Jackson paused, looking over at his Dad. "Hey, um… Before Mamaw comes back, there's something I need to give you. I figured it'd be best to do since it's just us right now."

"Okie dokie." Robbie sat down at the table; Jackson joining him after he grabbed the bag. Robbie looked at it curiously.

"Okay," Jackson began. "Um, last night I had this freakishly vivid dream about Miley… It felt like it was real, ya know?" He watched as his father sadly nodded. "All right, so a couple months back she started recording a song and she finished it before she…"

Robbie scooted closer, hugging his son after realizing he was having a very difficult time doing this. "It's okay, son…"

Swallowing with great difficulty, he continued. "M-Miley wanted to give this to you on Christmas, originally. In the dream, though, she told me that she wants you to have it today instead…" He finished by pushing the bag towards Robbie.

A long moment of silence filled the air as both men stared at the light blue gift bag. "…She recorded a song for me?" Robbie asked, throat tight.

"Y-Yeah… I haven't heard it yet. Lilly's the only one who has."

Closing his eyes briefly, Robbie reached his left hand into the bag, pulling out the CD. His eyes scanned the simple cover that read—

**Butterfly, Fly Away**

_**Written & Performed by: **_**Miley Stewart**

_**Produced by: **_**Miley Stewart**

Wiping his eyes, he set the CD down on the table. His hands shook as his fingers combed through his somewhat greasy hair. "Oh, baby girl…" he whispered through tears.

At that moment, Ruthie came in through the front doors holding onto a bag of groceries. Her facial features softened when she noticed her son and grandson at the table, shedding tears. After setting the bag down on the island counter, she wrapped her arms around Robbie's shoulders from behind. Ruthie's eyes landed on the CD. "What's this?" she asked Jackson.

"Miley wrote Dad a song…" he informed. Not wanting to cry, Jackson stood up to busy himself by finishing cooking up breakfast.

Ruthie hugged her son tighter. "You gonna be okay, Robbie…?"

"Yeah…" he responded weakly. "I just really wish she was here."

"Oh, you know very darn well that she is." The red-headed woman pulled back so she could sit down next to him. "Miley loved you very much. You've always been there for her and she'll _always _be there for you. What happened will never change that."

Robbie gave his mother a small smile. "Thanks, Mom…" He leaned in again to give her an appreciative hug. "I'm gonna go bring this up to my room… I'll be right back."

"You're not going to listen to it?" Jackson questioned.

"No, I will… Just not _right _now. I need time…"

"Okay." He nodded. "'Cause I'm pretty darn sure she wants you to."

Robbie Ray kept his eyes on the CD in his hands. "I won't let her down…" Then, he continued on his way up the stairs; wiping the tears away from his eyes.

…

Heather nudged Lilly's door open, holding a basket of laundry, and found her daughter sprawled out on her floor sound asleep with an open journal lying by her side. After setting the basket down by Lilly's dresser, Heather knelt down next to her, gently shaking her shoulders. "Lilly?"

The younger blonde slowly blinked her eyes open. "Hmm…?"

"You fell asleep in the middle of the floor, sweetie. Want to come downstairs?"

Letting out a yawn, Lilly pushed herself up and rubbed her tired eyes. "Yeah…" she croaked out.

"Hey, um… How come your bike is out in the front yard?" Heather questioned.

Lilly sadly glanced down at the leather journal she had been reading. "I, um… I went out to say happy birthday to Miley… I know you don't like me doing things like that alone, but… I wanted to do it myself…"

"Honey," Heather smiled. "You don't need to apologize for that… I understand."

"Even if I told you I went out around five in the morning?" she skeptically asked.

"I'm not going to get mad," Heather reasoned. She stood up and then took Lilly's hand to help her up as well. "Want anything to eat?" the oldest blonde asked on their way downstairs.

"Actually…Yes." Lilly glanced up at her shocked mother. "Chocolate chip pancakes?"

Heather knew all too well that chocolate chip pancakes were Miley's favorite. Especially on her birthday. "Anything you want."

Randall finished pouring himself a fresh cup of coffee when Heather came down the stairs with Lilly. He had moved back into the house roughly a week after walking in on Lilly with the bottle of pills. Heather welcomed him back with no hesitation. She knew how much he loved his daughter. "Hey, kiddo." He smiled and wrapped Lilly in a warm hug.

"I'm going to make Lilly some pancakes; want any?" Heather asked.

"Er…sure." Randall smiled down at Lilly. "Pancakes, huh?"

"Yeah," she replied softly, shrugging away from the hug.

From the tone of Lilly's voice, Randall figured she didn't want to talk about it. "So," he spoke, turning to Heather. "Are we still planning on going over to Robbie's later tonight?"

"Yes," she responded while mixing the batter. "He insisted on celebrating Miley's birthday and wanted us to join them."

Taking a seat at the table, Lilly clasped her hands together and placed her chin on top of them. Being at the Stewart household was going to be hard. Considering that last year on Miley's birthday, she had snuck off with Miley up to her bedroom to giver her a little birthday treat.

Several minutes later the pancakes were made and all three of them sat and enjoyed them as they ate. Heather was more than happy to see Lilly eating so much. A sudden knock on the door caught their attention and she quickly excused herself to answer the door. "Hello, Oliver." She smiled.

"Hey, Mrs. T," he replied, following her inside. "Hey, Lilly." He waved.

Lilly didn't respond, choosing instead to continue eating. She hadn't realized how hungry she truly was until she allowed herself to actually eat something.

"I just came over 'cause I found something that I thought you might want to have." Now he had Lilly's attention.

"All right…" Lilly pushed her plate away. "I'll be right back," she said to her parents before leading Oliver upstairs.

"You could've finished eating," he softly voiced.

"No, it's fine…" Lilly sat on her floor next to her desk. "Oh, and if you sit on my bed, I'll make sure you won't be able to reproduce," she warned after seeing Oliver glance at the still messy bed.

Cringing, Oliver chose to sit next to the blonde on the floor. "Anyways… I was going through some of my things while cleaning my room and, well…" He held up a white envelope that had his name scribbled out on the front. "I found this note Miley wrote me before she asked you out."

Lilly's eyes were transfixed on the envelope held out in front of her. "D-Don't you want to keep it…?"

"Miley said a lot of sweet things about you. I think you'll want to keep it…" When his blonde friend failed to take it, he frowned. "…Want me to read it to you?" She nodded slowly. Oliver sighed, carefully taking the note out from the envelope. "Okay," he said, clearing his throat while Lilly placed her head on his right shoulder. In a soft voice he began reading aloud—

"Oliver- before I do what I want to do today, I want to let you know about it. I'm going to ask Lilly out tonight and I want to make sure you won't have a problem with her and me dating. Because if you do, I know it'll upset Lilly. You two have been friends for so long and it'd be stupid for that to end because of this. I just need to know that you'll be okay with this because I'd hate to be the cause of a failed friendship. Lilly's so sweet and caring. She's everything to me and I just want her to be happy. So please, please, please be okay with this. I doubt you'll be upset, but, as I've already said, I want to make sure. I can't hold back my feelings for her any longer. I love her, Ollie. I really, really do. Things will be perfect in my life if you're okay with this _and _if she says yes, of course. Call me later. – xoxo Miley…"

Oliver wiped a stray tear off his face and set the letter down on the floor so he could pull Lilly into a hug. She had started crying not even half way through the letter. "I'm here, Lilly. It's going to be okay…" he soothed.

"D-D-Did you h-have a p-problem w-with us…?" she asked through her sobs.

Stalling, Oliver rubbed soothing circles on Lilly's back. He wasn't exactly sure how to answer that question, so he settled for what was most appropriate. "Of course not, Lil. You two were perfect for each other."

"I miss her, Ollie…" Lilly's voice was scratchy as she latched onto Oliver's shirt, burying her face into his chest.

"So do I…" He lightly kissed the top of her head. "Are you going over to the Stewart's house later to celebrate her birthday?" He felt her nod her head yes. "Good; I'm sure Mr. Stewart will like having you there."

Right before Lilly could reply, her father appeared in the doorway. "Everything okay in here?" he asked with concern in his voice.

"Yeah, um…" Lilly wiped her eyes and then picked up the letter. "Oliver found a n-note from…from Miley…and he gave it to me…"

Randall smiled sadly. "That was nice of you, Oliver."

"Not a problem," he replied, then slowly stood up, offering Lilly a hand. "Come on; let's go back downstairs so you can finish your breakfast."

Lilly let him pull her up. "I'll be down in a bit…" The guys nodded and left her alone. She walked over to her bed, bent down on her knees, and pulled out Miley's box. With more tears threatening to fall, she added the note to the collection of mementos. "Love you…" she whispered, putting the box back under her bed. Lilly knew it was going to be a long day and she figured finishing her breakfast would be a good idea. She walked out of her room, leaving the door open, and went back to join her parents and Oliver. As a gift to Miley, Lilly was going to try living again. She owed her that much…

…

Later on that evening at the Stewart residence, Robbie glanced around at the small group of guests that had come out for the night. Ruby and Aunt Dolly flew out from Tennessee for support and he was very happy to see them again. But out of everyone that was there, he was most happy to see Lilly. It had been weeks since he's last seen her. She was thinner, but she still dressed nicely in blue skinny jeans, a white t-shirt, black vest, and her usual Converse shoes. From what he's heard, Lilly had been living in her PJ's for the past month. Excusing himself from Dolly, Robbie walked over to Heather and Randall who were enjoying the chicken salad that Ruby had made. "Lilly seems to be doing a little better," he said to them.

"Honestly," Heather started, "I think she's only doing this for Miley's sake."

"She even ate pancakes for breakfast," added Randall.

"I know what it's like to lose the one person you loved more than anything. I suffered a great deal for a long time, but I had the kids to be strong for. I just wish I knew what was going on in that mind of hers," Robbie voiced.

"Do you think you could try talking with her?" Heather asked almost desperately.

"I see no harm in tryin'." He glanced down as he slid his ipod out of his front pocket. Before people arrived, Robbie had put Miley's song on the device and had yet to listen to it. He just couldn't get himself to do so by himself. "I think I'll try now…" Giving the Truscott's a small smile, he walked over to where Lilly was seated on the green couch. "Hey there, Lilly. It's good to see ya here."

Guilt settled in the pit of Lilly's stomach for what seemed like the hundredth time that day. "Sorry about that…It's just…"

"Don't worry about it. Trust me, I understand…" He held up his ipod for her to see. "Listen, um… I haven't heard Miley's song yet. I'd like it if you joined me; ya know, to keep me company."

Lilly raised an eyebrow. "Mr. Stewart, I… She wrote it for you. I don't want to intrude"—

"You won't be," he reassured. "I honestly don't think I could listen to this by myself."

Hesitantly, Lilly stood up. She followed Mr. Stewart out onto the back patio where they each sat down at the table.

While he plugged in his headphones, Robbie said, "You know you can come to me about this, right? Losing Susan was the hardest thing I ever had to go through. I loved her very much… Now with Miley gone, the pain's gotten much worse." He then handed the young blonde the left ear plug of the headset, placing it in his ear as she did the same.

"I'm just not ready to talk about it…" she confessed.

"That's fine." Robbie offered a friendly smile. "Just know that I'm always here if you need me, okay?" Lilly nodded. "Good… Now, how about we give this song a good listen to just like Miley wanted?"

Lilly sucked in a shaky breath as he hit the play button. She tried pushing back all the memories that came flooding back to her; wanting to focus on nothing but the sweet, soothing voice she missed so, so much…

'_You tucked me in, turned out the light  
Kept me safe and sound at night  
Little girls depend on things like that_

_Brushed my teeth and combed my hair_  
_Had to drive me everywhere_  
_You were always there when I looked back_

_You had to do it all alone_  
_Make a living, make a home_  
_Must have been as hard as it could be_

_And when I couldn't sleep at night_  
_Scared things wouldn't turn out right_  
_You would hold my hand and sing to me_

_Caterpillar in the tree_  
_How you wonder who you'll be_  
_Can't go far but you can always dream_  
_Wish you may and wish you might_  
_Don't you worry, hold on tight_  
_I promise you there will come a day_  
_Butterfly fly away_

_Butterfly fly away (Butterfly fly away)_  
_Got your wings, now you can't stay_  
_Take those dreams and make them all come true_

_Butterfly fly away (Butterfly fly away)_  
_You've been waitin' for this day_  
_All along and know just what to do_

_Butterfly, Butterfly, Butterfly_  
_Butterfly fly away_

_Butterfly fly away_

_Butterfly fly away…'_

Robbie's heart ached. Horribly. Miley had used an old lullaby he used to sing to her when she was little and transformed it into the most beautiful song he has ever heard. Tears were falling so fast he found it pointless to try and wipe them away.

Glancing up at Lilly, he could see she was staring intently at the table top, hands shaking violently, trying her hardest not to burst into the uncontrollable sobs that so desperately needed to be released. "Lilly…"

Lilly was in his arms the moment he opened them up to her, letting her release all the pain she had been holding in. Robbie hugged her tight, not caring that his tears were dripping into the blonde's hair. Lilly was like a second daughter to him and he absolutely hated seeing her like this. "Th-Thank you, Miles…" he shakily whispered, letting his cries echo into the night with Lilly's.

Inside, everyone sadly watched the two broken souls that they knew would never be the same again. Jackson wiped at his eyes. He had this strong feeling in his heart that his Dad truly appreciated the song for all it was worth. Walking away, he stepped outside on the other end of the house, looking up at the sky as a shooting star darted across the starry night. "You were right, Miles. He did need it… Happy birthday, Sis."

...

_("Butterfly Fly Away" - Miley & Billy Ray Cyrus)_

* * *

**Hopefully that was worth the wait. Oh, and obviously when Miley was singing, "Robbie's" backup vocals weren't in the song. Not much else to say except thank you, again, for all the great reviews. I'm so glad this story is doing so well when I didn't think it was going to :) Thanks for reading! **


	14. I Don't Want to Be Alone for Christmas

**Holy long chapter! This one took some time getting done, as you can tell. It's pretty much a two in one chapter, so that's why it's so long. If you don't celebrate Christmas, then no worries, it doesn't really get into the whole detail of the holiday. Hope you like it anyways.  
Anywho, thanks to everyone who has been reviewing this story. They mean the world to me :)**

**Enjoy!**

Chapter 14- I Don't Want to Be Alone for Christmas

_- December 23, 2009 -_

After Miley's birthday and Thanksgiving, the Christmas season was in full swing. Christmas was a time for love and family; a time to celebrate. This year, though, nobody seemed to have the Christmas spirit. Despite everything, Robbie tried his hardest to focus on buying presents for his friends and relatives. He felt he did pretty well on gifts and now, with Christmas Eve coming up the following day, he was almost completely finished- even with wrapping them all. The only person he was having trouble finding a gift for was Lilly. Something deep in his gut kept telling him to go into Miley's room to find something, but he wasn't sure what that something could be.

"All right, baby girl… What am I supposed to find in here?" he asked into the empty room, looking around at all of Miley's things that were still exactly how they were the last time she was in here. "I can't help but feel that you want me to find something." Robbie closed his eyes, inhaling deeply to relax his mind, body, and soul. He stood there for several moments before his eyes slowly opened, looking over at Miley's bed. "Perfect…"

There, hanging over the footboard, was Miley's favorite dark purple hooded sweatshirt. It was a pullover with a guitar print, splashed music notes, and had a nice worn look to it. Miley definitely wore it enough to give it that nice loving effect. This, Robbie knew, would be the perfect gift for Lilly.

Robbie's eyes then landed on the nightstand which held two framed photos: a portrait of Susan and a picture of Miley nuzzling her nose into the side of Lilly's face with a content smile and closed eyes while Lilly was looking directly at the camera, beaming. Feeling tears starting to form, he gently picked up the photo of Miley and Lilly and wrapped it up in the sweatshirt. Since he, Jackson, and his mother were leaving for Tennessee later on in the day, Robbie wanted to make sure Lilly got the gift today. So, giving one more look around the bedroom, he shut off the lights. "Love ya, Bud," he whispered as he slowly shut the door behind him.

…..

Heather set down the book she was reading when Randall came through the door holding onto several shopping bags. She stood up to walk over so she could help him. "Have fun?" she asked with a smirk.

"Loads," he drawled out sarcastically. "Last minute Christmas shopping is horrible."

"I could've gone out for you," she reminded him.

"Nope. Then you'd know what I got you…" he sheepishly said.

Heather smiled warmly. "Did you find something for Lilly?"

"Of course. It was hard since she said she didn't want anything, but I think it'll work." Randall pulled out a skateboard. "I got it custom made so it took a while, but I finally got it today." Flipping it over, he held it up to show his wife the design.

Heather choked up. "Oh, Randy… It's beautiful."

The base of the skateboard was a dark grey that faded into white clouds. Over the cloud pattern was Miley's name written in bold light purple lettering with wings stretching out from the middle to where the wheels were. Above her name was a glowing, golden halo. It was simply breathtaking.

"You think she'll like it? I'm a little worried about giving it to her…"

"She'll love it," she reassured. Another knock sounded from the door. "I wonder who that could be." Heather stepped towards the door, opened it, and was pleasantly surprised. "Well, hello, Robbie."

"Hi, Heather," he replied tiredly. "Is Lilly around? I'm leaving for Tennessee later today and wanted to give her the Christmas present I put together for her."

"Yeah, I'll go get her." Heather then trotted toward the staircase. "Lilly! Mr. Stewart's here to see you!" Seconds went by before she heard a dull thud of a door shutting and shuffled footsteps leading in her direction. Lilly came down in black sweatpants and a plain grey v-neck t-shirt. Heather's heart ached when she took notice that the bags under Lilly's eyes have darkened considerably. "Did I wake you?"

Lilly shook her head no, gently shoving her way past her mother. Robbie Ray was sat on the couch by the time Lilly entered the living room.

"Have a seat, kiddo." Randall smiled, gesturing to the spot next to Robbie.

"What's going on?" she asked, sitting down on the soft, plush couch.

"Well, Jackson and I are going to be leaving with my Mom to Tennessee today for Christmas and I wanted to give you your gift before I left." Robbie handed over the rectangle package to Lilly. He wrapped it in shiny green wrapping with a rather large red bow on it.

Lilly's blue eyes gazed up at the man sitting next to her. "You didn't have to get me anything…"

"I know, but I wanted to." He smiled. "I'm hoping you'll like it."

Curious, Lilly started to gently tear away at the wrapping to find a plain clothes box. She was happy to see it wasn't taped shut and swiftly pulled the top off. A purple sweatshirt was the first thing the blonde took notice of and tears quickly filled her eyes. "I…" She was at a complete loss for words.

"There's more," Robbie added quietly.

Lilly pulled the sweatshirt out, noticing something slightly heavier was wrapped inside it. Her heart raced while unfolding the sweatshirt and skipped several beats when she found a framed picture of her and Miley together. The picture she knew was always on the brunette's nightstand. She was touched that Mr. Stewart gave these items to her. "Th-Thank you…"

"I hope it's not too much… Just figured you'd like to have them…"

"N-No, I… I love it…" Tears rapidly dripped down her face and Lilly couldn't stop the shaky intake of breath. "You have no idea h-how much this stuff means to me."

Robbie sighed in relief. "Well, I'm glad it means so much to you." He clasped his hands over his knees to push himself up. "Hate to come and go right away but I still have a little bit left to pack." Lilly stood up and walked up to give him a hug. "Try to have a good Christmas, okay?" he rasped out. He felt her nod against his chest. "Good… Take care, Lilly." Offering a smile, he released the hug and politely made his way out of the house.

"That certainly was nice of him," Heather voiced. When Lilly turned to face her, though, the oldest blonde's heart broke. "Lilly…"

"It's okay…" Lilly whispered. "It's just…" She looked back down at the sweatshirt and photographed. "That sweatshirt means a lot to me." Lilly held both items close to her chest. "I'm going upstairs…"

Heather didn't argue; watching Lilly slowly climb the stairs. Her daughter seemed more depressed today than usual and she hoped Lilly would talk it out with either her or Randall later. She'd just have to wait and see.

…..

Nancy Oken opened the door to her house and smiled. "Hi, Joannie. Come on in," she offered, stepping aside for the young brunette.

"Thank you." Joannie smiled. "Is Oliver home?"

"Yes. He's been kept up in his room all day. Go on up."

Concerned, Joannie rushed up to her boyfriend's room. The door was open so she took that as an open invitation to go on in. "Oliver?"

Lying on his bed, Oliver turned his head to face Joannie. He gave her a small smile. "Hey…"

"You okay?" she cautiously asked while taking a seat next to him.

"I don't know." Oliver was silent for a while. "There's so much going on in my mind that…that I don't know what I'm feeling exactly. I miss Miley. I'm worried about Lilly. I'm trying to focus on school… Everything…" His voice trailed off due to tightness growing in his throat.

"Yeah, Oliver, about that… I know you well enough to know that you've been bottling up your feelings," Joannie spoke carefully.

"What do you mean?" He casually shrugged his shoulders. "I've been dealing with my feelings just fine, Joannie."

"No, you haven't," she responded firmly. "You're using worrying about Lilly to hide your pain." Joannie paused to allow Oliver to process this. "Miley was your best friend, Ollie…"

"Did you come over here just to tell me all of this?" he interrupted. "Yes, I miss Miley like hell, but I… I'm fine, okay?" Even Oliver knew he didn't sound convincing, resulting in tears building up in his eyes.

"Look…" she breathed. "I think it's great that you're worried about Lilly. She definitely needs people to be there for her, but so do you. At least Lilly's showing her pain."

"That doesn't mean she's healthy." Oliver ran a hand through his hair. "I'm _really _worried about her…"

Joannie nodded, looking down. "I know… Can I, um…ask you something?" He nodded, eyeing her suspiciously. "You don't…you know…still have feelings for Lilly, do you…?"

Oliver looked at Joannie long and hard. "Joannie… I thought we were finally clear on all of this," he nearly grumbled. "I love _you_, okay?"

"I'm just worried that all of your old feelings are going to come back since Miley's not around anymore"—

"Let me stop you right there." Oliver remained calm as he spoke. "Do you honestly think it would matter anyways if I did? Lilly and Miley were meant to be together, despite what happened. Please believe me, Joannie." He took her hands in his, squeezing lightly. "I love you and the last thing I need right now is for you to doubt that. Losing you would hurt way too much…"

Joannie's heart swelled. "I… I don't know what to say…"

"Just say that you believe me when I say that I love you."

"Of course I do." Smiling, Joannie leaned in and softly pressed her lips against Oliver's.

…..

Lilly hung up her phone after the phone call from Oliver ended. He had wanted to check up on her and she was happy for the short distraction. Glancing at her clock, she saw it was now ten thirty at night. With a heavy heart, Lilly grabbed a pillow and an extra blanket she had been using and shut her lights off before heading downstairs.

Heather turned her attention from the lit Christmas tree when she saw her daughter approaching. Lilly had changed into Miley's sweatshirt and a pair of pajama pants. "Hi, honey." She smiled.

"Where's Dad?" Lilly asked, glancing around.

"He was really tired so he went to get ready for bed early. Do you need him?"

"No," she replied. "I was just wondering…" Lilly gently set her things onto the couch. "I'm going to sleep down here tonight. I-I just can't sleep in my room tonight…"

"That's fine, Lilly…" Heather paused before asking, "You seem pretty distracted today. Anything you want to talk about?"

"Not really." The young blonde shrugged. "All I want to do right now is get some sleep."

"Okay, sweetie." Heather walked over, placing a kiss on top of Lilly's head, and wrapped her in a hug. "If you need either of us, just wake us up, all right? I don't care what time it is."

"Thanks, Mom." Lilly smiled. "I'll be fine."

"Goodnight, Lilly…"

Once her Mom was upstairs, Lilly shut off all the lights downstairs, leaving only the Christmas tree on. The glowing reds, greens, and whites sent a warm vibe throughout Lilly's body. Miley had always loved snuggling up by the tree, even before they had started dating.

Lilly set up her pillow and blanket on the couch, set the photograph Mr. Stewart had given her that day on the coffee table in front of her, and snuggled up underneath the warm covers. The purple hooded sweatshirt bunched up close to her face and vanilla, mixed with a scent that was purely Miley, filled her senses. She momentarily closed her eyes to take it all in- to remember- before reopening them to look back at the photo. That very photo was taken exactly two years ago today out in Tennessee. It was a day that would forever be dear to Lilly's heart. "…I'm really missing you today, Miles…" she whispered through tears, finally allowing herself to remember one of the most beautiful, memorable days of her life…

_**~ December 23, 2007 – Crowley Corners, Tennessee ~**_

_"Dinner was amazing, Mrs. Stewart," Lilly sweetly commented to Ruthie Stewart._

_"Now, Lilly, how many times do I have to tell you to call me Mamaw." The older woman smiled at the blonde, who was sitting next to her granddaughter at the kitchen table._

_"Sorry," she mumbled sheepishly._

_"Don't worry about it, dear. Now, you two go out and have some fun. It's a beautiful winter day." She extended her hand towards the living room window that displayed the light, glistening snow outside._

_"All right, Mamaw," laughed Miley before giving her grandmother a kiss on the cheek. "We'll try to be back before it gets dark." Seeing her grandmother nodding her approval, Miley took Lilly's hand in hers and the two girls made their way towards the entryway to put on their winter apparel._

_Since it was a warm winter evening, neither of them bothered to put on snowpants. Lilly would never grow tired of the scenic view around her; hills covered in pure white snow, snow covered trees scattered across the landscape, and, of course, the barn off in the near distance. Tennessee was truly a beautiful state and the young blonde was happy she got to view it during the winter months. Her glove covered hands tugged down on the warm, black stocking hat atop her head. What she loved was the sound of the snow crunching beneath their boot-clad feet. "I love winter here, Miles."_

_Miley smiled. "I'm glad you love it. It's one of the things I look forward to most about coming here for Christmas."_

_"I can see why." Stealing a glance at her girlfriend, Lilly couldn't help but smile at how stunning Miley looked right now. Her brown and pink coat accented her hair, which had a cute pink headband to protect her ears from the slightest of chills. There was just something about Miley in a winter wonderland that appealed to Lilly. "So," she started, "where're we heading?"_

_Miley linked her right hand with Lilly's left, pointing out in the distance with her free one. "See that big 'ol tree off past the barn?" Lilly nodded. "Jackson and I built a tree house in it with Dad when we were younger. We played in it all the time… I'd love for you to see it."_

_Lilly, wrapping both her arms around Miley's right arm, leaned in to give her a quick kiss on the cheek. "You're so sweet," she cooed._

_"Only for you." Miley kept her arm around Lilly's waist the whole journey to her favorite tree. Once under the large tree, Miley took hold of the nailed in ladder her father constructed onto the wide trunk. "I'll go up first so I can unlatch the trap door."_

_"Sounds good to me." Lilly winked, making Miley blush lightly._

_"Anyways…follow me." Miley then started climbing up, Lilly following her after she was up a little ways. She could feel Lilly's eyes on her the entire way up. Pushing the door upwards, the brunette crawled up and into the tree house; turning to see Lilly's head pop up. "What do ya think?" She smiled._

_"This is awesome, Miles," the blonde replied, finally inside. She also did the honor of closing the trap door so neither of them could accidentally fall out. Glancing back, Lilly saw Miley sitting back up against the opposite wall, smiling at her. "So…" she trailed off._

_"So, come here," Miley giggled. "We finally have some alone time."_

_"Ah." Lilly grinned, crawling over to snuggle up with her girlfriend. "I do like that." Before she got too comfortable, Lilly took off her hat, gloves, coat, and boots- Miley following her lead. "Much better," she commented and then snuggled back up with Miley. "I love you in this sweatshirt…"_

_Miley looked down as Lilly played with the pull string on the hood of her favorite purple sweatshirt. She sighed in contentment, running her fingers through Lilly's hair. A loving smile appeared on her face w hen Lilly softly hummed her approval. "Lils?"_

_"Hmm?" Lilly tilted her head up to look into Miley's loving blue-grey eyes._

_"I love you," the brunette whispered, resting her forehead against the blonde's._

_"I love you, too, Miles…" Closing the distance, the girls shared a sweet, gentle kiss. Lilly moaned as Miley repositioned herself to straddle Lilly's right leg with both of hers. Nothing was more fulfilling than moments like this. Lilly had a firm grip on Miley's waist; slipping the tips of her fingers underneath the hem of Miley's t-shirt she wore beneath her sweatshirt. To her pleasure, Miley's response was a throaty moan and scrunched Lilly's hair with her hands- gently massaging her scalp. She pulled Miley flush against her once the brunette lightly bit down on her bottom lip. This simple gesture always turned Lilly on. "M-Miles," she groaned out pleasantly._

_Miley gave one gentler kiss before pulling back a few inches. "I'm ready, Lilly…" she spoke softly, continuing combing her fingers through the blonde's soft hair._

_"Wh-What...?" Lilly stuttered, eyes wide._

_"I'm ready…" Miley leaned in again to give her girlfriend a long, reassuring kiss. "I love you so much and…I really want to make love to you…"_

_Lilly couldn't find any signs of doubt at all in Miley's eyes. "A-Are you sure? We've only been dating for"—_

_"Six months…" Miley smiled. "I know, but…you're my best friend, Lilly. I've loved you for so much longer than six months. You're everything to me and, if you'll have me, I want to show you how much I love you."_

_Tears glossed over Lilly's eyes at Miley's heartfelt words. "Of course I'll have you," she whispered. "I just don't want you to rush into anything and regret it."_

_"Lilly, the only thing I would regret is if I didn't have my first time be with you."_

_Cupping Miley's face with her hands, Lilly pulled her in closer once again. "I hope you know I feel the exact same way."_

_"I do." Smiling, they both leaned in, lightly pressing their lips together at first before surrendering to the want and need building up inside each of them. Miley tugged Lilly forward, allowing her to lie down on top of her, using Lilly's jacket to cushion her head. There was no need to rush what was about to come. Both girls took their time kissing and undressing each other, knowing they would only get this moment once and wanted nothing more than to forget the world around them; which is exactly what they did…_

_Miley opened her eyes around an hour or so later to find Lilly propped up on her left elbow, her head resting against her palm, smiling down at her. "Hey…" she happily rasped out._

_Lilly's smile broadened, brushing strands of Miley's hair off to the side. "Hey yourself." Lowering her upper body, Lilly hovered over her beloved lover; her tousled blonde hair cascading down to tickle Miley's face. "I love you so much."_

_"I love you, too." She gave her a quick kiss. "How long were we asleep?"_

_"About an hour…" Lilly's fingertip lightly glided over Miley's toned bare stomach. "I want to stay like this forever."_

_"Me too." Miley's heart started picking up speed again when Lilly settled herself half way on top of her; nuzzling her face into the crook of her neck. "As much as I don't want to, we should probably head back to the house soon."_

_"Do we __**really **__have to?" Lilly pouted._

_"Eventually…" Chills shot through their bodies from the minor coldness that was settled in the tree house._

_Lilly propped herself up again on her elbow. "Miles… What happened between us was the most beautiful experience of my life… I really hope you don't end up regretting this later…"_

_"I could __**never **__regret making love to you, Lilly." Sitting up, Miley gestured for Lilly to sit on her lap, loving the skin on skin contact. "I'm so crazy in love with you."_

_"I'm so crazy in love with you, too." After giving each other a light, powerful kiss, Lilly reached out and picked up Miley's pink bra. "We should get dressed before we end up spending the whole night up here." She smirked._

_A bright blush took over Miley's face as she took the bra from her girlfriend. "That's probably a good idea."_

_Laughing, Lilly crawled off Miley's lap to gather all of her clothes, smiling the entire time. Several minutes later they were both dressed and ready to venture out of their new favorite place to go back inside Miley's Tennessee home…_

_"Well, there you two are," Robbie spoke when Miley and Lilly walked in the front door. "I was just about to call you, Bud."_

_Miley squeezed Lilly's hand. "Sorry, we just…um…wondered around longer than we thought."_

_Ruthie walked up behind Robbie, a knowing smile on her face. "No need to be so overprotective, Robbie. They're old enough to wonder around the property alone." She smiled at the two girls who were now in the spacious living room. "Hold on you two. I want a picture before you get ready for bed. You both seem really happy at the moment and Lilly has to be dropped off at the airport in the morning. So get together and act like you like each other," she joked, holding up her digital camera._

_Miley blushed at her grandmother's comment. She turned, pressing her nose into the side of Lilly's face. Lilly in turn looked directly at the camera, smiling brightly._

_"Oh, this picture is adorable! Thank you girls." Ruthie hugged each of them. "I'll be getting ready for bed. We all have to get up early, so don't stay up too late, you hear?"_

_"We won't," Lilly replied almost bashfully._

_"Yeah… Goodnight, Mamaw; goodnight, Daddy," Miley said, hugging both adults._

_"Night girls!" Robbie called out as the girls darted up the large staircase._

_Inside Miley's old bedroom, Lilly plopped down onto the bed while Miley shut and locked her door. "Do you think your Mamaw figured it out?" she wondered._

_"Nah." Miley lay down next to her now lover. "I really wish you didn't have to go home tomorrow…"_

_"Trust me, neither do I." Lilly scooted closer to her girlfriend, holding her impossibly close to her body. "Thank you for making this the best day of my life, Miles."_

_Miley closed the distance between them, reconnecting their lips. "Then I should thank you as well, hon. I didn't think it was possible to love you more, but I do… I really, really do…" She brushed her hand up Lilly's shirt when her lips found hers again. Clothes were removed for the second time and they were soon expressing their love once more before surrendering to much needed sleep; arms and legs tangled underneath the warm covers. Lilly smiled to herself in her sleep at the feel of Miley tracing slow, light circles on her back. This was all she wanted and more…_

…

Lilly's heart wrenching cries were muffled by her pillow. The memory of their first time was still, and always has been, fresh in her mind. She could still feel Miley's warm skin against her own; hear the sweet murmurs of love, and the promising look in her lover's eyes in the moment of pure passion. Lilly wanted it all back. Wanted nothing more than to relive that moment in her life and never leave that tree house.

Her cries continued for nearly an hour straight, eventually calming throughout the time period. She kept her eyes on the photograph as she reached out to take it so she could hold close to her heart. Lilly's staggered breathing evened out when her body started to surrender to the fatigue that was fighter her. Finally allowing sleep, Lilly was able to dream of happier thoughts of being able to be with Miley again.

…..

_- December 25, 2009 -_

"Merry Christmas, Dad," Jackson greeted upon entering the living room at their Crowley Corners home.

"Merry Christmas, Son." Robbie wrapped his arms around Jackson. Both men have gotten closer over the past couple of months and weren't afraid to show it. "Sleep well?"

"Pretty well, yeah," Jackson admitted. "It just feels nice to be back here. I don't know why, though."

"I feel that way too. There's just something about being here." Robbie glanced outside through the large living room window. "Lots of great memories in this house…"

"Definitely." Jackson walked over to the fireplace where a family portrait from nine years ago sat right in the middle of the mantle. "This just doesn't feel like Christmas to me, Dad…"

"We can get through this, Jackson," replied Robbie. "Everyone will be here in a couple of hours so that'll keep us pretty busy."

Jackson swallowed down the lump in his throat. "Yeah…" he whispered. No matter how many people would be around, Jackson would have the constant feeling that Miley _wasn't _there. He missed his little sister terribly and was just grateful to have a girlfriend that didn't mind him venting out to her about the matter. Rachel was his rock and he was truly starting to love her. Letting out a sigh, Jackson turned to face his father. "I'm gonna take a walk for a bit."

"All right." Robbie nodded. "Your Mamaw should be here in about an hour to start getting things ready for company."

"I'll be back before then," he promised, slipping on his boots and jacket. Then he was off.

Jackson parked his late Grandfather's truck along side the gate of the old cemetery out by their old church. Tugging his mittens on, he got out of the truck and made his way up the snowy path. The air was crisp, allowing him to see his puffs of breath in the chill of day. It was enough to turn his cheeks red within minutes of walking.

Next to a big Oak tree was the gravesite of his mother, Susan Stewart. He swiftly brushed off the stuck on snow from the granite stone that was fairly similar to Miley's so he was able to see her name. "Hey, Mom," he greeted in a near whisper. "Thought I'd stop by to wish you a merry Christmas… It's a pretty tough one this year." Jackson wiped his eyes with the back of his gloved hand. "I'm just glad to know you and Miley have each other. But…I _really _wish you were both here… I miss you guys so much."

Wind gently blew through his short light brown hair as he took a seat down on the ground, covering his face with his hands. Out here in the open, he felt he could allow his emotions to run free. Jackson didn't care how cold it was. He didn't care that snow was seeping through his clothes. The only thing he would care about at all is to have his family be whole again. _That's _what he really wanted for Christmas…

…..

Many hours later back in Malibu, Randall helped Heather out on cleaning up after their family gathering. Lilly had kept to herself throughout the part and, as far as Randall could tell, everyone seemed to understand why.

Lilly had gotten a fair amount of nice things during present opening with the family but it was still hard for her to be thrilled by anything she got. Randall found that his decision on waiting to give his gift to Lilly after people left was the right choice. There was no reason to possibly get his daughter upset and emotional in front of a large crowd. He glanced over to Heather who was finishing cleaning up the kitchen. "Do you think Lilly had a good time today?"

"No, but she tried to at least," she replied honestly. "I guess that's all I can really ask for these days."

Lilly, who had heard everything from the top of the stairs, closed her teary eyes and slowly made her way down to the living room. "Hey, um…Is it okay if Oliver comes over for a little bit?"

"Oh, absolutely. He should know by now he's welcome here anytime he wants." Heather smiled.

"Before he gets here, there's one more present I want to give you," Randall announced, getting his daughter's attention.

"Dad, I don't need anything," the young blonde insisted.

"I know you said that but I think you'll really like it." He practically jogged over to the hall closet and pulled out a long wrapped package. "Well, at least I hope you'll like it."

Taking the gift from her father, Lilly sat down on the couch where her parents took a seat on each side of her and carefully tore open the nicely wrapped green wrapping paper. The sight of a brand new skateboard actually brought a small smile to her face. "A new skateboard?"

"Turn it over," insisted Randall, his right hand moving in a circular motion.

Following her father's instructions, she flipped the board over and her breath caught in her throat. He had gotten her a customized skateboard with a beautiful display of Miley's name with angel wings and a halo. Lilly stared at it for long moments before speaking. "I…I love it…" she whispered almost hoarsely.

"You sure?" Randall's response was a slow nod and he took notice of the tears that were shining in his daughter's eyes. "Come here," he kindly spoke, Lilly leaning into his open arms as Heather took the skateboard, set it onto the floor, and soothingly rubbed Lilly's back.

One knock announced Oliver's arrival and he soon opened the door to what felt like his second home. "Hello?" he called out, shutting the door behind him.

"In here!" Heather replied, turning her head in the direction of the entryway.

Oliver made his way into the living room to be frozen in place at the sight of Lilly clinging to her father as she cried. His sad eyes met Heather's, silently asking what had happened to cause his best friend's emotional state. He got his answer when Heather held up the skateboard for him to see. "Oh, Lilly…" he sadly mumbled to himself, walking over to offer his comfort.

Feeling a hand on her left knee, Lilly managed to pull her face back far enough from Randall's chest to see her best friend's concerned eyes staring back at her. "Ollie…" she sobbed, shifting her position to bury her face into his shoulder; her hands grabbing fistfuls of his green and white striped shirt.

Heather ushered Randall out of the room and now Oliver was left alone to comfort the blonde. His arms wrapped tightly around her waist. All he could do right now is let her cry.

"Wh-When's it going to g-get easier?" she desperately asked against Oliver's neck.

That's all it took for the tears to spill from his eyes. "I'm not sure if things will get easier, Lilly. I can't promise you that they will." He pushed gently on her shoulders until he was eye to eye with her. "If I could find a way to make all of this go away you know damn well that I would."

Lilly's eyes closed, letting in a shaky breath. "I-I'm sick of this constant pain… It's hard to even _breathe_!" Tears dripped down onto the carpet between them once Lilly pressed her forehead against Oliver's, keeping her eyes tightly shut. "…How am I supposed to keep my promise to her when it's too hard to live without her…?" she asked more calmly after a short while.

"You have to keep on believing that she's always with you…"

"No," she shook her head against his. "It's not enough… I _need _her, Oliver. I need to _be _with her." Lilly's voice was pleading, desperate, and it broke Oliver's heart. "I want things t-to be normal again… I want Miley back; I want my parents to be okay… It's all too h-hard!"

"Look at me," he coached, rubbing her back with his hands. When she re-opened her dull blue eyes, he continued. "I'm _going _to be here for you, okay? It doesn't matter what time of day, I'll be there. You're my best friend and I'll be damned if I let you fall."

Lilly looked him straight in the eye. "Wh-What if I need to fall…?"

More tears fell down Oliver's face as he gathered his broken friend close in his arms. Lilly's pained cries were muffled by his shirt and he did everything he could to control his own. Oliver buried his nose into Lilly's wavy hair. Something deep inside of him liked the close proximity, but Joannie's worried eyes from the other day flashed through his mind and he quickly snapped out of it. He _loved _Joannie and he knew that nothing could ever change that. Besides, like he explained to Joannie, Lilly would always love Miley and only Miley. If he could bring his brunette friend back he'd do it in a heartbeat. There had to be a way to make things easier for Lilly. But that was the thing…

Oliver knew darn well that nothing ever would.

…..

"_There's people on the sidewalk_

_There's music in the air_

_Everyone is smiling_

_I'm wishing you were there_

_To put the smile on my face_

_The way you used to do_

_All I want for Christmas is Christmas time with you…"_

(**"**_**I Don't Want to Be Alone for Christmas, Unless I'm Alone With You"**_ – James Ingram)

* * *

**So this song I used is actually on an Alvin and the Chipmunks album (A Very Merry Chipmunk). It's quite adorable, so if you want to listen to it you can find it on youtube.**

**Also, if you're starting to freak out about this little Lilly/Oliver thing... Don't. That's all I'm saying, lol. Just enjoy the journey :)**

**I'll try as hard as I can to get things updated. I'm in the process of moving and I'm surprised I got this done, haha. I'll do my best. Thanks for reading, leave your thoughts! :)  
****  
P.S. I was too lazy, again, to read through to look for any mistakes. I'll fix them later if I find any that really bug me :)**


	15. Don't Wake Me

**If you were to read this chapter in my notebook, you would be amazed to how much I changed it while typing it out on my computer. But I am pleased with how it offically turned out. I hope you think so too, even though you don't know what I wrote in my notebook :) As you can tell, October was a very busy month for me- with all the moving and everything. I worked hard on this chapter though. It's very much an emotional rollercoaster of a chapter. I stayed up til 3 am a lot working on it. Luckily I finished this fairly early tonight. I've been looking forward to posting this. I'm hoping this chapter will please people in a way. Anyways, enough explaining, I'll let you read. Enjoy! :)**

Chapter 15- Don't Wake Me

_January 8, 2010_

"I don't want to go surfing," Lilly deadpanned, flipping through the channels in her living room.

Jackson and Oliver looked at each other, feeling defeated. "Come on, Lilly," Jackson pleaded. "It's a new year, let's go out and make the most of it. The waves are awesome today."

"Yeah, and Rachel and Joannie are going," added Oliver.

Lilly dropped the remote onto the couch, rolling her eyes. "Oh goody, I'd be surrounded by couples in love. Sounds awesome," she spat sarcastically.

"Ya know, ever since New Year's you've been acting like a complete brat," Jackson shot back. "Just come surfing with us and live a little."

"Well, maybe if people stopped trying to get me to do things and watch me like a hawk all the time then maybe I'd lighten up a little!" she yelled.

"Stop!" Oliver sent her a hard look. "Maybe we're trying so hard because we care about you _and _you promised Miley you would."

"Stop bringing that up all the time," Lilly growled, balling her hands into tight fists.

"No, because you're obviously not taking it seriously." Oliver's look softened at the pained look that flashed across Lilly's face. "All we're asking is for you to come surfing with us. You love surfing, Lil…" Seeing her hesitate, Oliver decided to be bold. "If you love Miley and want to honor that promise, you'll do this."

Lilly shot him a glare. "You are such a jackass sometimes…" Pushing herself up, Lilly made her way up to her bedroom to change into her swimwear. She knew she wouldn't be able to win this fight.

Jackson let out a slow breath. "I don't know if I like mean Lilly more or less than the emotional nutcase Lilly."

"She's depressed… I'm sure this mean streak will pass."

A couple of minutes later, Lilly came down in a green bikini top – Miley's favorite on her – and her green and white board shorts. "Okay, let's go," Lilly commanded, holding onto her surfboard.

Oliver sighed as he and Jackson followed. "I'm sure she'll cheer up once she actually gets out in the water."

"I hope so. She deserves to have fun. Plus, this will be the first time Rachel will be around her for longer than two seconds," Jackson worriedly replied. "She understands, but still…"

"Hey, if she understands then things should be all right." Oliver glanced ahead where Lilly was walking several feet away from them. The rest of the walk was silent but all three of them got to the beach in no time where Rachel and Joannie were waiting; happily talking amongst each other. "Hey, Joannie." Oliver smiled, sitting down beside his girlfriend to give her a peck on the lips.

"How's Lilly doing today? Any better?" she asked quietly after pulling away from the kiss.

"Not really. I got called a jackass again." He shrugged.

"This sucks…" Joannie sighed, watching Jackson talk with Rachel and Lilly. "I just want her to be happy."

"Trust me, we all do. Hopefully surfing will help Lilly feel better."

"Only one way to find out." Joannie quickly stood up, smiling. "All right, now that we're all here, let's go catch some waves!" she enthusiastically yelled.

"Can't I just watch?" Lilly sadly asked, keeping her arms crossed over her chest.

Oliver stood up, walked over next to Lilly, and sincerely looked her in the eyes. "You love surfing… Please do this with us."

Looking down, Lilly replied, "I can't… Last time I went surfing things in my life were perfect…"

"I know… But Lilly, you have to stop putting your life on hold. Exercise will be good for you." Oliver offered a genuine smile.

Lilly sighed; defeated. "Okay… I'll surf…"

"Awesome." He brought her into a hug. "I know you're going to have fun."

"I never said I'd have fun. The only reason I'm doing this is to make you feel better and stop worrying about me."

"Just so you know, I'm always going to worry about you…" Once her gaze left his, Oliver wrapped his arm around Lilly's shoulders and led her towards the shore where the rest of the group was patiently waiting for them.

…..

The Pacific waters glistened beneath her as Lilly sat on her surfboard, staring down at her reflection. A reflection she didn't even recognize anymore.

She had yet to catch a wave, choosing instead to watch her friends enjoy themselves. Although, her mood was starting to lift some as she saw everyone laughing and splashing around in the water together. Lilly was too lost in her own thoughts to notice that Jackson was rather close to her. Suddenly, cold water splashed all over her body, emerging a loud yelp to escape from her lips. Cranking her head, she was faced with a slightly nervous looking Jackson. "Uh…sorry?" he sheepishly apologized.

For reasons unknown to her, a calming sense washed over her, allowing the light, playful smirk to appear upon her lips. "Oh yeah, you'll be sorry." Swinging her arm, Lilly splashed him back with a generous amount of water.

With Rachel laughing behind him, Jackson shook his head to get some of the water off. To say he was surprised by Lilly's sudden mood change would be an understatement. So, he decided to enjoy it while he could. "Oh, okay, I see how it's going to be." He laughed. "It's on!"

Time seemed to go by more quickly than anyone could imagine. It was well over an hour before Oliver fully relaxed and realized that things were actually okay. To him, all that mattered was that Lilly was finally laughing and enjoying herself; something he had been praying for for so long now. Hearing the blonde laugh was refreshing, music to his ears, and he could easily tell that everyone else was thinking the exact same thing. Jackson's presence next to him brought him back to the rest of the world.

"Dude, any idea on how Lilly's mood changed so quickly?" Jackson asked the brunette boy.

Oliver shrugged. "She always loved the water. Perhaps this was what she needed all along."

"Maybe you're right… Let's just avoid bringing Miley up. I'm guessing that's all it'll take to ruin the moment."

"Wasn't planning on it." Seeing Lilly paddle her way over to them, Oliver signaled to Jackson to cut the conversation short and smiled. "Hey, Lil."

"These waves are amazing!" she beamed, a full smile on her face. "I think there's going to be a big one coming in."

"Awesome." Oliver returned a smile. "You better catch it before someone else does."

"Oh, don't worry." Lilly turned her head to stare out at the incoming wave. "I will…" With that, the blonde dropped to her stomach and paddled out to reach her goal.

Rachel appeared next to her boyfriend. "She is doing so well today," she complemented.

"She really is." He smiled, taking her hand in his. "I have a feeling Miley's happy about it, too."

"Me too…" Rachel leaned in to press a light kiss upon Jackson's cheek and then turned her attention back to Lilly. All four of them were excited to see how big this wave was going to be.

Adrenaline was pumping through Lilly's veins at keeping her eyes on the growing swell of the wave. Turning in the correct position, Lilly kept paddling, allowing the wave to lift her with ease. It was far larger than she had expected, but it gave her such a rush.

Lilly didn't know how long she was on the wave. Roaring of the surrounding water, the gusts of wind whipping at her whole body, it was so exhilarating. A toothy smile, followed by a joyous laugh, erupted through the blonde as she rode the massive wave. Feeling rather confident that she could handle this monster, Lilly started up on some of her most impressive tricks. Her soul lifted and everything in her life seized to exist. Everything except the water.

Seconds passed and soon enough Lilly could feel that the wave was dying down. With a laugh, she purposefully jumped off with her surfboard. She was more than impressed with herself that she managed to stay on through the entire wave. Resurfacing from the depths, she whipped her head around to clear the water from her face and let out a loud, triumphant cheer. Oliver and the others were off in the distance cheering her on and she quickly maneuvered her way towards them. "Did you _see _that?" she happily shouted.

"Yes! That was totally awesome, Lils!" Oliver enthusiastically replied.

Since they were all close to shore, the five of them swam back to rest and let the sun dry their damp skin. Lilly, losing herself in the excitement of what just happened, failed to remember what harsh reality was awaiting her until she spoke. "That was such a rush! Man, Miles, did you see that?" Hearing no reply, everyone suddenly falling eerily quiet, Lilly turned her body around. "…Miley?" she called out again, for a split second expecting to hear a reply from her brunette companion.

All four friends could feel their hearts instantly break. Oliver's eyes couldn't look away at the sight of Lilly's face paling when reality hit her again. He could practically hear her heart shatter in the deafening silence. Slowly, he reached out to her. "Lilly…"

Stumbling backwards, Lilly barely acknowledged her surfboard falling to her feet. Tears had quickly filled her once joyful eyes, all the excitement and adrenaline being replaced with the sharp intense pain she had come accustomed to since the day Miley had died. "N-No…"

"Lilly, please, talk to me," Oliver practically begged.

"No!" She snapped, pushing Oliver away from her forcefully with tears streaming down her face. "I…I forgot! I told you I didn't w-want to go surfing!" A low sob escaped her while grabbing fistfuls of her hair with her hands; eyes tightly shut.

"You were having fun, Lil… There's nothing wrong with that…"

"There's everything wrong with that!" Cold blue eyes bore into her friend's brown, sorrowful ones. Lilly was too upset to think of what she was really saying, but that didn't matter to her. "_You _wanted to go surfing! _You _wanted me to try and have some fun! _You _made me forget she was gone! I don't _want_ to forget her!"

Guilt flooded through Oliver. "Lil, I…I didn't mean for you to—"

"Yes you did!" the angry blonde interrupted harshly. "Just stop trying to make me feel better! It's not working! Trying to have fun hurts more than you can imagine 'cos all it does is remind me that Miley _isn't _around to have fun with me! It literally _kills _me! I don't want to be happy without her so don't you _ever _try to do this to me again!"

"…Fine…" Oliver rasped out through the lump that accumulated his throat. His eyes watered; not wanting to cause Lilly any more pain than he already did.

Realizing what she had just done, Lilly took a couple more steps back, shaking her head, and turned around. All she wanted was to be as far away from everyone as she possibly could. Yelling at Oliver didn't do her any good and she felt too guilty to try and fix it. She knew she messed up…

Oliver felt his tears roll down his cheeks as he watched Lilly's retreating form. Lilly was right… It was his entire fault that Lilly's heart got shattered once again. He tried _too_ hard to make things better for her.

"…Oliver?" Joannie approached him with caution. "Oliver…she didn't mean what she said…"

"Yes she did…" he replied in a near whisper. "This is all my fault."

"No, it's not," Joannie firmly replied. "Lilly didn't mean it. You know she's depressed."

"It's. My. Fault." After giving his girlfriend a hard look, Oliver picked up both his and Lilly's surfboards. "It all happened so fast… I didn't expect it to fall apart so quickly. She was actually having fun but then the cruel reality of Miley being gone hit her. Hard. That never would have happened if I hadn't begged her to come with us." He shook his head, laughing bitterly. "I give up… I'm just gonna go home…"

"Oliver, wait!" Joannie hollered, chasing after her boyfriend who was already pretty far ahead of her.

Jackson let out a low breath he didn't realize he had been holding. He turned to Rachel with sad eyes. "I'm sorry… I didn't know that was going to happen…"

"You have nothing to apologize for." Rachel ran her thumb over the back of his hand. "Are you okay, though?"

"Y-Yeah," he sighed out. "Um… Want to go back to my house and just hang out or something? Maybe watch a movie?"

Rachel couldn't help but notice the sadness in Jackson's voice. She figured Lilly's outburst upset him. "Sounds good to me…" Leaning in, Rachel placed a gentle kiss on his lips, laced her fingers with his, as she so often did, and the two started walking down the shoreline towards the Stewart household.

…..

Several hours later found Lilly at a very special place to her heart. She sat, knees bent up to her chest with her arms wrapped tightly around them so she was able to place her chin on her knees. Lilly had been sitting here for hours now, just staring off in the distance. It was here where Miley had asked her out. Here at their favorite secluded space where they had hung out so often in the past. Since then, this place had become even more special to her; to both of them.

Lilly looked down at her beach bag that held her belongings: cell phone, t-shirt, jean shorts, undergarments, towel, etc. It was starting to cool off so she reached in to grab her dry clothes. Shedding off her swimwear, she changed quickly and soon took back her previous position in the sand. Although, the blonde's attention turned to the high cliff that ventured out further into the ocean. It was the main rock wall that kept this place so secluded. Something pulled her attention towards it. She had never been up there before… Glancing back at her bag, Lilly decided on the spot to leave it where it was.

Lilly stood, her mind focused only on the large cliff. As if her feet had a mind of their own, she walked swiftly towards the rocks. Getting into a better position, she started to climb.

To her surprise it was a fairly easy climb up to the top and once she got there, she felt satisfied. Lilly stepped closer to the edge to glance down, seeing how far up she really was. Her thoughts started running wild… The sight of the water crashing against the rocks below did something to her. She could feel her eyes start to water when she recalled how hurt she felt earlier at expecting to see Miley smiling back at her only to find she wasn't there. At all. Lilly hated feeling this way _all the time_.

"I can't do this anymore…" she spoke softly against the wind that thrashed her hair back behind her. Taking in a deep, shaky breath, Lilly took small steps forward, balled her hands into fists, and, without any other hesitation…she jumped.

….

Heather slammed down the house phone in frustration and worry. It had been hours since Joannie stopped by with Lilly's surfboard and informed her she had been missing. She had tried calling everyone she could think of to find her daughter but had no luck so far. Randall, bless his heart, had finally left around an hour and a half ago to hunt down their daughter. Both were nothing but worried beyond belief.

The front door swung open and a small glimmer of hope rushed through the blonde woman only to be instantly crushed once she saw her husband had walked in alone. "Any luck?" she asked desperately, on the verge of tears.

"No." Shutting the door, he glanced up to meet his wife's eyes. "I'm sorry…"

"I'm scared, Randy," she nearly sobbed, tears quickly pooling in her sad, blue eyes.

Randall stepped up to wrap Heather in his arms. "Me too, hun… I'm sure she'll be all right." When Heather didn't say anything in return, he maneuvered the two of them over towards the couch. "Let's just watch some T.V. for a while and if she doesn't come back soon, I'll go out again to look for her some more, okay?"

"All right…" Heather meekly replied.

Once they settled on the couch, Randall clicked on the television, not really caring what was on. The background noise was just what they needed for a minor distraction.

Halfway through the sports show they ended up watching, the sound of the telephone ringing out started them both, but nonetheless, Heather answered before the third ring could finish. "Hello?" she eagerly greeted.

"Heather, it's Robbie Ray." She sighed. "I thought you should know that I just saw Lilly walking by on the beach. Looked like she was heading in the direction of your place."

"Oh God, Robbie, thank you _so _much. We've been so worried… Did she look all right?"

"Hard to say…" Heather could hear the sadness in the mans voice. "She was too far away to tell."

"Heather…" Randall's voice stole her attention so she turned to see him glancing out of the living room window.

"Robbie, I think she's here. Thank you again," she praised.

"No problem. Let me know how she's doing. I worry about her, too."

"I will." She smiled slightly. "I'll talk to you later… Bye…" After the two hung up, Heather joined Randall by the window to wait for their daughter.

Short minutes later the front door creaked open slowly, showing that Lilly was completely drenched from head to toe and what her parents guessed was in tears as well. "Lilly!" gasped Heather, pulling the younger blonde into her arms tightly. "Where in the world have you been?"

"And what in the world happened?" added Randall, who was running his left hand up and down his daughter's damp, t-shirt covered back.

"I-I-I really t-tried this time," Lilly sobbed against her mother's chest.

"Tried what, sweetie?" Heather's heart froze with fear.

Lilly pushed back, her white V-neck t-shirt sticking to her body, wiping away at her eyes. "I…I ran off t-to my favorite spot a-and just stayed there…" A hiccupped sob escaped her before she continued. "After a w-while I j-just lost it… I dug out m-my t-shirt and left my other s-stuff where it was… Then I climbed up th-the rocks…"

"Lilly," Randall sadly interrupted. "You're shaking… Come sit down."

Nodding, the young, heartbroken blonde dropped her bag and allowed her parents to lead her over to the couch in the living room. Heather quickly wrapped Lilly up in a warm blanket; not caring that the couch was going to be wet. "Wh-What else happened, Lilly…?"

"I…I jumped…" At the loud gasps that came from both adults, Lilly closed her yes, tears spilling out rapidly. "Y-You don't know how hurt I was e-earlier… Wh-When I turned around, expecting to see her, and she wasn't…wasn't there…it tore me apart." Lilly wrapped the blanket tightly around herself as a shiver coursed through her body. "I've b-been trying as h-hard as I could, b-but it's too much!" she cried. "I wanted the pain to go away so badly… Jumping s-seemed so s-simple, s-so I did it."

Feeling eyes on her, Lilly finally looked up to find her parents, too, were crying. "Honestly," she swallowed, "I was hoping I'd h-hit something in the water, but…but there was nothing. N-No matter what I d-did, I kept resurfacing… A-After a while I gave up and, well…now I'm here…" she whispered.

Heather and Randall were too shocked and shook up to know what to say. Randall, instead, pulled Lilly closer to him as she cried.

Heather dabbed at her moist eyes. "Lilly… Why don't you just go upstairs, shower, and get ready for bed. We'll talk more in the morning…"

"I-I'm s-sorry," Lilly responded through tears, clinging to her father's sweater.

"It's okay, kiddo," Randall soothed. "You're here, you're okay, and that's all that matters right now." He kissed the top of her head, instantly smelling the ocean water. "Come on, I'll go upstairs with you…"

Lilly couldn't take the broken expression on her mother's face. So she kept her eyes downcast; following her father's lead. She knew that she had disappointed them: big time. But what hurt more was knowing she also disappointed Miley. Lilly could physically feel it in her heart.

….

Fresh pajamas slid on with ease over Lilly's freshly cleaned body. Though the tears never stopped, she did feel somewhat better. Not by much, but she figured it was a start.

Blue eyes turned to the queen sized bed that she hadn't slept in for a few months now. Thinking back to earlier that day, Lilly still felt horrible that she had forgotten, just for a brief moment, Miley had died. Swallowing down a sob, Lilly slowly walked over to her bed, next to the side she, herself, had always slept on. Her eyes, though, were trained to Miley's purple-cased pillow. "I know saying sorry isn't enough…" she sadly whispered. "But… I-I'm so sorry…for everything…" Tears streamed through her closed lids as she fell face first onto her bed, letting out all of her anguish.

Lilly tilted her head to the side where she saw Miley's pillow millimeters away from her. Sniffling, the blonde reached out a shaky hand to ever so gently stroke the fabric. "I d-didn't mean t-to forget you." Her words were forced due to the tightness in her raw throat. It didn't take much after that for her body to shake with harsh crying. Lilly buried her face into Miley's pillow; the scent of her lost lover flooding through her system. She had waited far too long to sleep in this bed, this much she knew. Her grip on the pillow tightened immensely. "I-I'm sorry!" she cried out brokenly. "I don't know wh-what to do anymore!"

No other words were spoken from the broken blonde for several minutes. Her cries calmed after a short while as she solely focused on the familiarness she felt from simply holding onto the plush purple object. Blue, puffy eyes began to feel heavy; fatigue fighting her body. Lilly was too emotionally drained to fight it. "Miles…" she whispered quietly before allowing her eyes to flutter shut…

….

_Smelling the ocean air confused Lilly as she blinked her eyes open. Panic invaded her senses at the mere thought that everything that just happened didn't really happen. The only thing she could acknowledge was she felt different. Lilly stood where she was, in the middle of the beach, and took in the feel of the wind blowing through her tousled hair. She knew her heart stung, it always would no matter what, but right now Lilly felt strength building her up. From what, she didn't know._

_The sand between her toes felt heavenly so she paid extra attention on wiggling her toes in the soft grains. What happened next, though, was something Lilly never expected to happen for a long, long time._

_"Lilly…"_

_Lilly's heart nearly stopped at the sound of the very person she missed so deeply. Her stomach twisted anxiously and, almost too afraid to do so, she turned around; her breath instantly catching in her throat. Inches away from her was her beloved Miley. Her only response after a short while was a low sob._

_"Shh." Miley closed what little distance there was to wrap her arms around Lilly's midsection, burying her face into the blonde hair she had always loved. Lilly, on the other hand, firmly held onto the back of Miley's shoulder blades, sobbing into her shoulder from the front. "It's okay," whispered the brunette. She moved her right hand up to hold the back of Lilly's head in comfort._

_Lilly's sobs subsided but she did not want to move nor open her eyes. If she were to look up and __**not **__have Miley be there, it would literally kill her. Feeling her body up against Miley's was all it took for her to calm down. "…I-Is it r-r-really you?" she hoarsely asked in a quiet voice._

_"Of course it is." Miley gently pushed Lilly back enough so she could see her beautiful features. Lilly's eyes were still closed. "Open your eyes, my love."_

_"N-No, I…I'm afraid that you'll disappear if I do…"_

_"I promise you I'll still be here," Miley warmly insisted. "Please… I want to look into your beautiful baby blues…"_

_Reluctantly, Lilly did as instructed and was pleasantly happy to see Miley was still there in her arms. With a heavy heart she asked, "Th-This is only a dream, isn't it…?"_

_"Yes…" Miley lovingly wiped away the single tear that trickled down Lilly's cheek with her thumb, keeping the palm of her hand against her tear-stained skin. "It's more than just a dream though, Lils… You really __needed me, so here I am."_

_Leaning forward, Lilly pressed her forehead against Miley's, letting out a shaky breath. "I __**always **__need you," she whispered._

_"And I'm always with you," the brunette explained. "But the stunt you pulled today, I… I can't even begin to explain how that made me feel." Miley held Lilly in place when she felt her pull away. "Why? Why did you do that, Lilly?" she sadly asked._

_By now Lilly had started crying again. "I'm sorry…" Her head was now resting against Miley's shoulders. "I just can't live like this, Miles. I tried as hard as I could to keep my promise… I know I-I haven't tried enough, but it's so hard…"_

_"I know." Smiling sadly, Miley brushed a strand of hair behind Lilly's right ear. "You should try harder though. I hate worrying about you… Knowing that there's not a lot I can do to help you…"_

_"I want to be with you." Lilly's watery eyes stared right up into Miley's. "That's all I want…"_

_"Come here…" Sliding her right hand down Lilly's arm, she laced their fingers together and led them over to the shoreline where she carefully took a seat in the sand, tugging Lilly down to join her. "Lilly," Miley began, "I would love more than anything for us to be together. And one day we will be." The blonde's grip around her tightened. "What you need to realize and understand is that everyone here still needs you."_

_"I find that pretty hard to believe," the blonde solemnly responded. There was a short moment of silence before a thought came to Lilly's mind. "Ya know…the last time we sat like this was at the senior kick-off party."_

_Miley, keeping her face buried in Lilly's golden hair, smiled at the memory. "That was quite an amazing day. By the way, it's great to hear you talk about the days before I…well, you know…"_

_"It hurts too much…" Lilly readjusted herself so she was able to see Miley better. "But…what hurt more was when I forgot you today… I-I never meant for that to happen." Her eyes held nothing but regret, which Miley couldn't miss even if she tried._

_"Sweetheart, you didn't forget me." She smiled warmly. "You were having fun and got caught up in everything around you. That made me so happy to see you smile and hear you laugh."_

_"Yeah, and then I was crushed when I remembered you weren't there. I felt horrible about it, Miles." Lilly was close to tears again and was comforted instantly when Miley ran her hands up and down her arms._

_"Stop beating yourself up about this, Lils. You didn't intend on that to happen, it just did. Although, I do know that you try as hard as you can to avoid thinking about things we've done together…things we would've done… You sleeping in your bed, finally, was such a __**huge **__step for you, and I'm so happy you did."_

_A small smile crept its way across Lilly's face. "Me too. Would you, um, be here right now if I hadn't?"_

_"No," Miley honestly replied. "Sleeping in your bed was your way to feel close to me again when you needed the comfort the most. I had been waiting for you to get the strength to do so. Don't get me wrong, I get why you couldn't, but…you finally allowed yourself to let the memory of the last time we made love come to you. You don't have to hold back on remembering happier times. They keep me alive in your heart."_

_"I-I know." Lilly gave Miley a broken smile. "But, as I've already said, it's just too hard…"_

_"Lils, I wish I could say it'll stop hurting, but we both know it won't. Just know, little by little, it __**will **__get easier. I never thought it would after my mom died, but it eventually did." Happiness filled her once Lilly's smile widened._

_"Miley… Even if people really do need me around, and things do eventually get easier, I'm still going to want nothing more than to be with you." She wiped at her dampening eyes. "Please understand that. My future involved you and now that's not going to happen…" Lilly glanced over right as Miley opened her arms for her and, without any hesitation, scooted over to sit in her lap. "I love you so much, Miley," she tearfully proclaimed._

_"I love you, too, Lilly… So, so much…" Then, for the first time in months, their lips connected in a sweet, sensual kiss. Tears sprung to both of the girls' eyes at the wonderful sensation at finally holding each other like this again and a whimpered cry escaped Lilly when the feeling overwhelmed her; in such a wonderful way. Miley's fingers lightly scratched at Lilly's sides when Lilly's hands moved up into her brunette curles. This kiss was not heated. Instead it expressed built up emotions that they wanted to make clear just by this simple affectionate act of love. Miley was the first to break the kiss after several moments, but kept her lips against Lilly's as they panted ever so slightly. "…My answer would have been yes, you know," she lovingly whispered, rubbing her nose against Lilly's._

_Lilly's eyes opened to find Miley's sparkling right back at her. "What?" she questioned._

_Smiling still, Miley held up her left hand for Lilly to see. "Of course I would have said yes."_

_Seeing the sparkling diamond ring sporting Miley's left ring finger brought on so many emotions that Lilly didn't know what to do with. Her shaky hands cupped Miley's and she focused on the ring she had worked so hard for all those months ago. "I-It's so beautiful o-on you…" She happily cried, finally meeting her lover's eyes._

_"I'll __**always **__be yours." Miley closed the small gap between them for another loving kiss. "You made my life so wonderful, Lilly, and with that you should know I'll always be with you."_

_"I d-don't want you to l-leave again," Lilly pleaded through tears._

_"Your parents need you, Oliver needs you… You still have a huge impact on their lives…"_

_"Miley, don't…" Her eyes were quickly overflowing with tears._

_"Listen to me." Miley cupped Lilly's face in her hands again. "I'm always right here with you. To prove that, I want you to go outside to the beach this coming evening at sunset. I'll be your purple heart in the sky."_

_Lilly's heart was breaking, knowing what was about to happen. "Don't go…" Her voice squeaked as she held back on a sob._

_"All night, Lilly," Miley soothed, trying not to cry herself. "Hold my pillow and I'll be holding you right back." Feeling Lilly's tears against her neck nearly broke the brunette._

_"Promise?" Lilly asked, taking in the feeling of being in Miley's loving embrace for all it was worth._

_"I swear." Placing her index finger underneath Lilly's chin, Miley pushed upwards and immediately pressed her lips against her fiancé's. _

_"When will I see you again?" she mumbled against Miley's moist lips._

_"Unfortunately, not until your time comes, my love." Saying that was hard, but Miley knew she had to be honest with her._

_"Wh-What?" Lilly's head jerked back, her sorrowful eyes looking completely taken aback. "Unless that's soon, I…I don't think I can wait that long! Please…" she begged, tears slowly cascading down her face. "Please don't leave me again…"_

_A stern look crossed Miley's face. "I never leave you, Lilly… I need you to please remember that, okay?" Getting a slow, affirmative nod in response, the brunette leaned forward to kiss Lilly's forehead. "Now close your eyes and get some sleep, love."_

_"I c-can't… I don't want you to leave." Her tears were falling more freely, so Lilly buried her face into the crook of Miley's neck, holding onto her for dear life._

_"Shh…" Miley comforted her by rubbing soothing circles against Lilly's back. "Keep holding my pillow, sweetheart. I'll stay. Just close your eyes." Not being able to hold it in any longer, Miley allowed a few tears to escape her blue-grey eyes._

_The comforting sensation of rocking back and forth with Miley calmed Lilly and the soft humming of her favorite Beatles song was quickly lulling her to sleep. Then, against her will, everything around her began to slowly fade. Everything but Miley's angelic voice that kept her sane all night long…_

…

In the darkness of the quiet bedroom, Lilly was found sleeping peacefully in her queen sized bed, cuddling up with a purple pillow. Randall gave a light squeeze to Heather's shoulder and, after sharing a tearful smile, gently closed the door shut. Neither of them wanted to disturb their daughter now that she was finally getting a tear-free night of sleep. "Goodnight, kiddo," Randall whispered through the door before following his wife to bed.

…..

_January 9, 2010 ~ 4:55 p.m._

"Lilly," Heather called, creaking open her daughter's bedroom door. "What would you like for dinner, sweetie?"

"I don't know…" Lilly glumly responded whilst holding onto Miley's pillow. "I'm just not all that hungry…"

"Honey, you've been kept up in here all day. As happy as I am that you're sleeping in your bed again, I'm starting to get even more concerned." Heather sat on the edge of the bed next to Lilly. "If this is about what happened last night, I'm not mad. You just really scared us, Lilly… We don't know what to do to help you."

Lilly finally met her mother's gaze. "It's not just because of what happened. I…I just want to feel close to Miley again. This is the only way I know how…" Sensing her mother's concern, the younger blonde continued. "I had a very vivid dream about her last night," she whispered, feeling tears build up in her eyes once more.

Heather offered a small smile. "One would think you'd be happy about that."

"I was. Or rather I am… I just didn't want it to end…"

"Then don't let it," Heather stated simply.

"What do you mean?" Confusion was evident in Lilly's hoarse voice.

"What I'm saying is, if that dream made you feel better, happy even, then think about it as much as you can. Don't push it in the back of your mind _because _it made you feel better. Welcome the feeling. Now, I know that I don't know what happened in your dream, but don't take it for granted. I'm sure you had it for a very good reason."

Her mother's words brought comfort to Lilly and, with an appreciative smile, she sat up to wrap both arms around Heather's waist. "It's hard mom…"

"It's never going to be easy, Lilly." Heather felt refreshed at her daughter's slightly better mood. "Miley's right here with you," she reminded, pointing her finger at Lilly's heart.

Flashbacks from her dream played out in her mind and Lilly knew the truth behind her mother's words. "I know…" Breaking the embrace, Lilly pulled the covers off her body. "I, um… I'm going outside for a bit before supper. To get some fresh air, ya know?"

Heather sighed, feeling uncertain about the idea. "I'm not sure, Lilly…"

"Mom." Looking up with promising eyes Lilly said, "I swear I won't do anything like last night. Walking around sounds nice after lying in bed all day." Lilly decided to keep her request simple. She didn't want to share the beautiful words spoken to her by Miley. If what was spoken was actually going to happen then Lilly wanted to be the only one to know about it. To keep the magical feeling to herself; to take it all in for what it truly meant. A loving promise.

"All right, Lilly. Dinner will be ready around six, okay?" Seeing Lilly nod, Heather stood up. "I love you, Lilly."

"Love you, too, Mom…" After her bedroom door was shut, Lilly stood and slowly started discarding her clothing, replacing them with fresh ones. For her hair she simply ran a brush through it a couple of times and left it at that. Then, after a few minutes, she was out the door.

…..

Walking out alongside the shore felt odd since, to Lilly, it felt like she was just out here only mere hours ago. Closing her eyes, Lilly could still feel Miley's arms around her, comforting her in ways she had longed for. When her blue eyes reopened she was instantly enthralled by the beauty that surrounded her. Colors swirled in the sky in mixes of red, orange, and shades of purple.

Lilly froze in her footsteps. Purple…

Warmth filled her as she took a seat in the sand, keeping her eyes transfixed to the sky. Her arms wrapped around her legs that were bent up to her chest to guard herself from the cool wind. From her spot in the sand Lilly watched as the purple became more dominant like nothing she's ever seen before. It was the first time since Miley passed away that she found true beauty in the world. Pulling out her cell phone, she flipped it open to view her wallpaper photo of Miley. This particular photo had always been a favorite of hers. Miley was wearing her pink robe, hair in a messy bun, toothbrush hanging out of the left corner of her mouth, and a very cute surprised look on her face. "Oh, Miley…" whispered Lilly, a ghost of a smile grazing her lips; eyes glossed over with unshed tears.

Gentle wind blew through her blonde hair, turning her attention back to the Heavens where Lilly was instantaneously stunned. Happy tears made their way down her cheeks with a small smile in tact. There amongst the purple and pink sky was a heart shaped cloud slowly drifting by across the horizon. Fascinated by its artistry, she remained in her spot, never taking her sparkling blue eyes off of it.

To Lilly's complete amazement, the cloud hovered in place for long moments. She was captivated. Speechless even. But above all else she felt whole. Miley _was _there with her. Everything in her dream was as real as it had felt.

"Thank you, Miley… I love you so much…" Lilly could almost hear Miley say 'I love you, too' when she closed her eyes and focused on the calmness of her surroundings. Moments like this only came by once and Lilly wanted to take it all in, to remember everything about the evening.

Lilly sat watching the sky for nearly an hour. She was reluctant to leave but knew she had to if her parents were ever going to trust her to venture out alone again. Brushing sand off her jeans, Lilly glanced back up, sending a silent thank you this time before she turned to leave. Miley had kept her word, just as she always did.

_"I'll be your purple heart in the sky…"_

…..

'_**Don't wake me 'cause I don't wanna leave this dream,  
Don't wake me 'cause I never seem to stay asleep enough,  
When it's you I'm dreaming of,  
I don't wanna wake up.'**_

_("Don't Wake Me" – Skillet)_

_

* * *

_

**I do hope this was good. **

**Again, I didn't exactly read through to see if there were any errors. But if I find any major ones, I will go back and fix them. I know I say this a lot and don't actually do it, but one of these days I will. And, maybe I'll update my other story soon-ish too. Wouldn't that be fun...?**

**Pease leave your thoughts. I brought on some Miley comfort :) Thanks for reading! **

**(Corrections have been made in this chapter now)**


	16. I'll Always Remember You

**Here it is, guys. I have been working so hard on this chapter. It's a pretty darn long one and the reason for that is? I call this the "middle" of the story. I dont know how many more chapters are left; I don't plan on ending this soon, but I would still say this is the mid-point of the story. So, therefore, a lot is happening. I'm just worried I made it too long :p Hopefully none of you mind a long chapter. In fact, it's so long, and it's so late at night, that I don't feel like reading through to correct any errors. I will fix them if I find them later.  
Anyways, I do apologize for taking so long with this story. I just want to make sure it is written right. I have everything planned for this and want to make sure I get it all in there and get it in there correctly. So it'll probably take me a while. Again, I hope you don't mind :)  
Thank you guys for all the wonderful reviews you have given me for this story. They really do mean the world to me. It makes me excited to start working on new chapters and getting them posted. Hope to hear from all of you again on this one :)**

**Enjoy.**

Chapter 16- I'll Always Remember You

Oliver sadly slammed his locker door shut. It had been four days since the last time he saw Lilly. Four days since he wrecked her. Heather had called him late Friday night to inform him that Lilly was all right, but he knew better. Seeing as how Lilly wasn't at school the day before and it was now Tuesday and he had yet to see her, he was guessing that she wasn't all right.

Turning his head, Oliver spotted Joannie jogging over in his directions looking somewhat happy. "Ollie, guess what?"

"Hmm?" he tiredly hummed out.

"Lilly's here. I just saw her in the office to sign in for second period," Joannie nearly beamed.

Oliver blinked. "She's…She's here? Did she look okay?"

"All I saw was her back," she explained. "I'm just honestly surprised she showed up today."

"So am I." Taking Joannie's hand in his, he led the way towards their classroom. "Miley's last music video will be premiering tonight… I was sure that she'd stay home. What happened Friday doesn't help either..."

"Please stop beating yourself up about that. You didn't do anything wrong." Joannie tried looking Oliver in the eye but he refused to look up. She stopped in the middle of the hallway. "Lilly didn't mean any of those things she said."

"Come on, Joannie…" He sighed. "She was completely shattered."

"Exactly! Lilly wasn't thinking clearly. You and I both know how much she misses Miley. It really gets to her at times."

Oliver was about to respond until he saw Lilly slowly heading towards them. He took notice that Lilly was wearing black cargo capris, a white hooded sweatshirt, and had her hair straightened. It actually looked like she put some effort into how she looked. As the blonde got closer Oliver felt more uneasy.

"Lilly, hey," Joannie greeted, pulling her into a hug. "We've been worried about you."

"Sorry…" Lilly whispered as her eyes met Oliver's. She could sense he was nervous to say anything so, pulling away from Joannie, Lilly stepped over to her best friend and wrapped her arms around him; burying her face into his shoulder.

Momentarily shocked, Oliver finally returned the hug. It was refreshing to have Lilly so close after he had convinced himself that she completely hated him. "I'm sorry too, Lilly… I never meant to upset you so much…"

Speaking wasn't an option for Lilly at the moment. Her throat threatened to tighten even more so if she were to tell Oliver he had nothing to be sorry about. She knew now that her actions and words were completely uncalled for. The only thing she could get herself to do was hold onto her best friend a little bit tighter.

Joannie worriedly looked at the expression etched across her boyfriend's face. It had turned from uncertain to loving in a blink of an eye. He continued to hold Lilly in his arms, eyes closed, and a small smile on his face. Surly this was all because of the events that occurred a few days back, but something inside of her couldn't help but think there was a deeper feeling behind it all on Oliver's end. "Hey, um, why don't we all head to class before the bell rings," she insisted.

Keeping one arm around Lilly's waist, Oliver continued leading the way down the hall. "I'm glad you came to school today, Lilly."

Lilly couldn't argue. She was glad she ended up going as well. Sitting around at home waiting for the evening to arrive would have driven her insane. "…Me too," Lilly finally replied in a whisper.

Hazel eyes narrowed at Oliver. He didn't insist on holding Joannie's hand or anything, and needless to say she wasn't pleased. Anger should be the furthest thing from her mind right now. Joannie couldn't help it though with Oliver's history of having a crush on Lilly. Taking in a deep breath, she decided to let it go and caught up to walk alongside her boyfriend and Lilly.

….

The new semester offered Lilly some peace of mind. With new classes she was free from staring at empty seats that Miley had once occupied. Right now she was sitting in Mr. Corelli's class writing in the notebook he had given her last semester. Every page written thus far was written all about Miley; all the memories that held dear to Lilly's heart. She was close to the end of the notebook and knew she would need a new one soon.

Looking around, Lilly watched as the room slowly started filling with students. It was no secret to them that they would be getting into the main part of their senior project this semester. Lilly was partially glad she didn't have to deal with it. The only time she felt guilty about the matter was when she would hear Oliver and Joannie talk about how hard it was going to be.

Lilly jumped at the sudden dark hand that landed next to hers on her desk. She glanced up to see the sorrowful eyes of Amber Addison. "Hey…" Amber hesitantly greeted.

"What do you want?" Lilly dully asked.

Amber brought her hand back to her side. "Look, um… I know it won't change anything, but… I'm really sorry about everything I put you and Miley through."

"You're only saying that because you know Miley was Hannah," the blonde bitterly responded.

"Okay," the queen bee breathed out. "I will admit that hearing that _did _change things, but not the way you think… When I heard what happened I spent a lot of time thinking about how horrible I was to her, and for no good reason."

Lilly's eyes softened. "What are you trying to say?"

Amber took a seat next to Lilly, set her books down on top of the desk, and then turned to face the blonde. "What I'm trying to say is…I was jealous of Miley. Pretty much every single guy in the school wanted to be with her and she was so pretty without even trying."

"You…You were jealous of Miley? What about when we were younger? Didn't seem like you were back then."

"It took a while to realize why I didn't like her, but I'm being honest with you," Amber honestly insisted. "If I could take back everything I've said and done to her, I would."

Lilly offered a ghost of a smile. "Thanks, Amber… I know Miley would appreciate it."

Mr. Corelli walked in after Amber returned a small smile. Lilly would be lying if she said she wasn't shocked by Amber's actions. It was, to say the least, surprising.

"Hello class!" Mr. Corelli greeted. "Today I will be handing out the packets for you to use with the rest of the project." He simply smiled at the groans of disapproval. "Come on, it's not going to be that bad." Passing by Lilly's desk, Mr. Corelli paused and lowly spoke. "I'd like to discuss yours after class, okay?" He smiled.

Nerves built up in Lilly as she nodded, watching as he finished passing out papers. She hoped there wasn't anything wrong with her homework arrangements. In all honesty Lilly really was trying to keep up in school, but she figured she still wasn't doing well. A low breath escaped her lips as she turned her attention back to her notebook.

Lately Lilly's writing had engrossed her to the point where everything around her ceased to exist. Class passed by more quickly than she thought and was snapped out of her own world when the bell rang. Once again Lilly was faced with Amber before she headed out of the classroom.

"Are you going to watch Miley's music video tonight?" asked Amber.

Blue eyes glanced back down at the black and white composition notebook laid out in front of her. Lilly let out a soft sigh. "Yeah…"

Amber placed a hand on Lilly's shoulder. "I'm going to guess that she'd really want you to." Seeing Lilly's eyes gloss over with tears tore at Amber's heart. "But, um…if you think it would be too much to handle, I'm sure she'd understand that…"

"I-I know," Lilly whispered and then finally stood to gather her books. "I, um, I-I have to talk to Mr. Corelli… I'll see you later."

Amber left after offering one more smile and left Lilly alone with their teacher. When Lilly turned to face Mr. Corelli he was already waiting patiently for her. "Have a seat up front, Ms. Truscott."

"Is everything okay?" she asked once seated.

"Just thought I'd check up to see how you've been doing on your assignment." Mr. Corelli clasped his hands together on his desk. "You've missed quite a bit of school."

"…Can you really blame me?" Lilly reasoned.

"I'm not saying that we don't understand"—

"We?" she emphasized.

"All of your teachers, the Principal…everyone. You seem to be behind in most of your work."

Lilly raised an eyebrow at him. "Then why isn't the Principal talking to me about this?"

"He's waiting to see if you improve or not. I just wanted you to know as a warning," he calmly explained. "I know you can pick things up… You're an excellent student."

"What does this have to do with my assignment in your class?" she asked, clearly starting to get annoyed.

"I want to make sure you're doing it. Hopefully you know that I didn't pull some strings for you just so you could sit back and not do any work."

Mr. Corelli sounded generally concerned that it was hard for Lilly to be upset with him. "It's the only thing I've actually put some effort into, Mr. Corelli. In fact… I need to get another notebook."

"That's great to hear, Ms. Truscott." He smiled. "I have complete faith in you."

"Thanks, Mr. C…" Lilly whispered. "Can I go now before I'm late for my next class?"

"Certainly." Quickly, Mr. Corelli wrote out a slip excusing her of tardiness. "Just in case," he said as he handed it over to the young blonde.

"Thanks…" Taking the slip, Lilly stood and swung her backpack over her shoulder. With only her notebook and late slip in her grasp she swiftly left the room, fighting off nervousness of what had just been discussed. She honestly didn't know if she could get herself to focus on school enough to keep up on her homework. Lilly decided she would talk to Oliver about the matter later.

…..

By the end of the day Lilly's head was pounding and she couldn't help but wince when she shut her locker. The whole day seemed insignificant to her so therefore she was pleased that it was over. While rubbing her forehead, she slowly walked over to Oliver's locker where he stood placing books into his backpack. "Hey…" she greeted miserably.

"Hey." Oliver looked over at Lilly to find that she looked completely miserable. "You look like you could use some rest."

"Thanks," she drawled out sarcastically. "That's what every girl wants to hear."

"Sorry…" Oliver then shut his locker, giving Lilly his full attention. "You just look pretty wiped out."

"I'm sick of everyone bugging me," Lilly sadly admitted. "I came to school so I could get my mind off the music video but that's all people talk to me about. Amber's been nice to me, and I know she means well, but she's driving me insane!"

"Whoa, Lilly, calm down." Oliver quickly placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "They all mean well."

"Well they should stop…" Lilly's voice softened as she released a sad sigh. "Don't they realize how much it hurts…?"

"Unfortunately I don't think it ever crossed their minds." Swinging his arm across Lilly's shoulders, Oliver led the way towards the main entrance of the school. "How about I walk you home?"

"Sure, but…" Lilly glanced back behind her shoulder. "What about Joannie? I haven't seen her much today."

Oliver was glad Lilly was facing a different direction when his face dropped. "She, um, had to leave early. Her Mom needed help with stuff…"

Lilly raised an eyebrow at that. He sounded so unconvincing but the blonde decided that she wasn't going to ask about it. If Oliver wanted to talk then he would talk. "Okay…"

"It's cool, Lils," he tried reassuring. "How about on our way to your place I buy us some ice cream?" For a better effect, Oliver flashed her a friendly smile.

"Fine." Lilly gave a small smile back, but it never reached her dull blue eyes. "Only if I get two scoops of bubble gum flavored."

"Anything you want," he happily replied. Oliver was pleased that Lilly seemed to be in a slightly better mood now. He just hoped he could help make that stay as long as he could before Miley's music video aired. Watching that was going to be extremely difficult for everyone and Oliver wanted to enjoy any kind of happiness that he could….

Being recognized as Miley Stewart's best friends brought on more attention than the two of them wanted, but they still tried to make the best out of the time they were spending together. Oliver more so than Lilly. Even though it killed him to constantly be asked about Miley, he had to be the strong one. If he broke down then Lilly would never get better. It took Lilly and Oliver a while to fight off the press but now they were left alone and walked through the beach in silence; close to Lilly's home. Oliver continued to lick at his ice cream and enjoyed the cool breeze blowing through their hair.

"Thanks for fighting them off, Oliver…" Lilly quietly thanked, keeping her eyes to the sandy ground beneath their feet.

"No problem… They were pretty obnoxious."

Soon enough they were walking up the steps of Lilly's deck. She turned to wrap her arms around Oliver in a fierce hug. Oliver didn't need her to say anything to know what she was upset about. "It'll be okay, Lilly…" he soothed, hugging her back just as fiercely. "I'll be around if you need me, all right?"

Lilly nodded as she let out a shaky breath. "I hate that I'm scared to watch it, Ollie…"

"I think it's safe to say we're all afraid to watch it." Oliver then pulled back, gave Lilly a kiss on the forehead, and offered a warm smile. "Think how hard this is going to be for Mr. Stewart, Jackson, and Mamaw."

"Yeah…" Lilly felt very selfish for not thinking about that, but now she had a full understanding. "Thanks again, Oliver."

"No problem." Giving one more long hug Oliver pulled back and headed down the stairs so he, too, could head home.

After opening the front door, Lilly was greeted with the sight of her mother cleaning up around the house. When the older blonde spotted her daughter she paused her actions and smiled. "How was school, Lilly?"

"Annoying," she stated, dropping her backpack onto the floor of the entry way. "I just want to take a nap."

Heather was concerned now. "What happened? Need to talk about anything?"

"No," Lilly answered simply. "Just make sure I'm up around six." Seeing her mother give an affirmative nod, she darted up the stairs.

The moment she opened her bedroom door, Lilly was immediately beckoned towards her bed. It took all she had not to burst into tears as all the emotions from the day weighed heavily on her shoulders. Not to mention her heart. Lilly slowly crawled onto her bed, sitting up against the headboard, and pulled her knees up to her chest. Dainty arms wrapped securely around them and Lilly simply stared off into space. Tears were evident in her eyes but Lilly refused to let them fall. Not now at least. She was tired of crying. Hell, she was tired of hurting but that wasn't going to go away either. Groaning in a mixture of frustration and sadness, Lilly fell sideways and landed on Miley's pillow. Readjusting herself so she was more comfortable, Lilly laid there, taking in the fading scent of her lost lover, and eventually lulled herself into a quiet slumber….

"Lilly… Lilly, honey, wake up. It's five after six."

Languidly, Lilly slowly opened her eyes to find her mother kneeling down on the floor next to her bed. "What…?" she murmured.

"You wanted me to wake you up. The video's going to be on in about an hour," Heather reminded her.

A yawn escaped Lilly before she reluctantly sat up, rubbing her overly tired eyes. "Thanks…" Silence filled the room before Lilly spoke again. "Mom? Do you think we could go over to Mr. Stewart's to watch it? It's just going to be him, Jackson, and Mamaw…"

"Well…" Heather thought it over for a few seconds. "I'll give him a call to ask if that'd be okay. In the meantime why don't you go freshen up a bit. You still look pretty out of it." She sympathetically ran a hand through her daughter's hair. "You don't have to watch it if you don't want to, Lilly…"

"Of course I want to," Lilly strongly stated. "Miley and I, we…we were going to watch it together… She was _so _excited about this music video…"

Hearing Lilly's voice crack caused Heather to choke up. "I know, sweetie…" Standing up, she bent down to place a gentle kiss on top of her daughter's head. "I'll go call Robbie, all right?"

"Okay…" Once her Mom left her bedroom, Lilly finally rose to her feet and slowly walked over towards her bathroom. If she looked as bad as she felt then Lilly definitely wanted to freshen up.

Ten minutes passed before Lilly felt like she looked well enough to venture out. She grabbed her white Converse shoes and Miley's purple sweatshirt and then quietly left her room.

"You ready to go, Lilly?" Heather asked when her daughter entered the living room. "Robbie's more than happy to have us over." The older blonde's features turned to concern as she watched Lilly's face turn a sickly white color. "Honey?" Before she knew what was happening, Lilly made a mad dash into the bathroom down the hall. "Lilly!" Heather panicked and quickly ran after her.

Lilly reached the toilet just in time for her to empty the contents of her stomach into it. She hardly took notice of her mother holding her hair aside and running her left hand up and down her back. Tears were quick to make their way down Lilly's face as she lifted her head up from the bowl; leaning back into her mother's embrace.

"Lilly, are you okay? What's going on?" Heather still held panic while brushing her little girl's bangs away from her dampened forehead. Heavy breathing mixed with quiet sobs was all that filled the silence that fell over them. Concern consumed Heather and, after placing a gentle kiss atop Lilly's head, she spoke. "Talk to me, Lilly…"

Hoarsely, Lilly finally answered in a low, shaky whisper. "I-It just hit me that…that if M-Miley never did this video, sh-she'd still be a-alive…"

"Oh, honey…"

"N-No…" Lilly turned to look at Heather with tear-filled eyes. "Mom, I-I should've gone with her," she croaked out.

"Don't say that, Lillian… Something could've happened to you, too."

Fresh hot tears pooled out from Lilly's eyes. Feeling as though she couldn't breathe, Lilly placed her head back against her mother's chest. "…I know…" she quietly stated truthfully.

Hearing those words was all it took for Heather to finally let herself cry. It was times like this where she absolutely wanted to have Randall around. Unfortunately, he had to go out of town on business tonight. She had practically begged him to stay, considering the circumstances, but he had to go. So, therefore, Heather had to be strong for their daughter, who was now sobbing uncontrollably in her arms...

…..

Robbie Ray blankly stared at his television set as he waited for the music video premiere of his little girl. The last music video there would ever be of Hannah Montana. He let out a sigh, crossing his arms over his chest in a protective manner. Comfort only came to him when his mother reached out a hand to cover his own. A small, weak smile appeared, but neither of them spoke.

Jackson walked over from the kitchen to set his glass down on the coffee table. All day he had been giving his father worried looks. He, of all people, knew that nothing could be said to make this evening any easier. Before Jackson could take a seat there was a knock at the main door. He went over to open it and was relieved to see Lilly and Heather. For a while there he thought they weren't going to show. "Hey, come on in," he offered, stepping to the side.

"Thank you." Heather gave the young man a smile and guided Lilly into the house. "Sorry we're a little late."

"No need to apologize…" Robbie kept his eyes on Lilly. To say she looked awful would have been an understatement. Her complexion was pale, eyes red and puffy, and she looked as though she could break down at any given moment. "…It'll be on soon."

Lilly blinked. Her whole body was shaking and the only reason she hadn't collapsed yet was due to her mother guiding her over to the couch. Mr. Stewart switched places with Mamaw and Lilly was placed between him and her Mom. Jackson took a seat on one of the large green chairs and then they waited. What seemed liked an eternity was only a few minutes when a woman with light brown hair appeared on screen. Lilly sucked in a deep breath. This was it…

_"Good evening, viewers. I'm Kelly Malone and tonight marks an important moment in entertainment history. Tonight, only on E-News, will you see the premiere of Hannah Montana's, a.k.a. Miley Stewart's, last music video 'Supergirl'. Here with me tonight is pop sensation Mikayla, who has been known to have a rival history with Hannah. What are your thoughts on tonight's premiere, Mikayla?" Kelly asked, holding the microphone up to the pop star._

_"Well, Kelly… It's bittersweet really," Mikayla replied honestly. "It's sweet because I know how many people have been anticipating this video. I mean, it's one of her biggest hits and everything. But…Miley didn't get a chance to live to see it and, well…it's unfair…" Sadness was evident in her voice which resulted in a sympathetic look thrown her way by Kelly. "Miley really was a sweet girl. I didn't find out about the Hannah secret until her father announced it. I was pretty shocked, to say the least…"_

_"So you were friends with Miley Stewart?" Kelly asked._

_"We weren't super close or anything, but we got along. I wish I could have hung out with her more often. More than anything I wish I could've gotten a chance to tell her that I never really hated Hannah. She was so talented and I just wanted to be like her so much that I let it get the best of me."_

_"If Miley was as sweet as she was as Hannah, then I'm sure she would have forgiven you." Kelly watched Mikayla nod; too choked up to speak. She turned back to face the cameras. "Now, the moment everyone has been waiting for… Here's the world premiere of 'Supergirl' by Hannah Montana… We'll always remember her in our hearts forever. Enjoy."_

All eyes were glued to the television screen as the picture faded before music filled the air; a scene of cameras flashing in darkness, showing quick glances of Miley, as Hannah, through the flashes of light. Suddenly a single bright pink spotlight shone down to the point where all you could see was Hannah. Lilly's breath hitched in her throat at the captivating sound of Miley's voice.

'_When I feel all alone and nobody knows  
Still gotta smile for a while I can't let it show  
Dry my tears, dry my tears  
Have no fears, have no fears  
And when I'm, and when I'm backstage feeling down  
And the lights come on, no time to worry  
Gotta hurry Gotta sing my song  
Gonna shake it off shake it off  
Strike a pose strike a pose  
Snap my fingers just like that  
Don't get what I want and that's a fact  
Snap my fingers just like that  
Don't get what I want Just 'cause I want it'_

Lilly rested against Robbie Ray's shoulder, not being able to stop the tears. Pain literally shot through her heart so intently that it was basically unbearable. She clutched her shirt with her left hand while taking in several deep breaths.

Allowing his tears to fall, Robbie wrapped an arm around Lilly for comfort. Not just to comfort the young girl next to him, but himself as well. He squeezed Lilly's arm at the feel of her gripping his shirt tightly in a fist. Upon feeling his heart constrict Robbie sent out a silent prayer to Miley for help on keeping them all sane in a moment of weakness. If there ever be a time that they really, really needed her, this would be the time.

'_Wish you could see  
I'm like everybody else  
Struggling to let go  
And always be myself  
I'm super cool  
Super hot  
Super  
I'm super, super  
I'm super, super  
On the cover of your magazine  
Where ever I go they make a scene…'_

Near the end of the video was when Lilly felt it. A strong sense of calmness washed over her at the feel of warm tingles shooting through her left hand. It was familiar. It was safe. Tears trickled down her cheeks but she no longer felt the intense pain she had felt from when the video began. Now she knew that Miley was with them all at that moment. None of them were watching this alone. The feeling only intensified when the music video came to an end; ending with Miley looking over her shoulder, looking directly at the camera with her trademark smile before fading to black. Lilly closed her left hand loosely in an attempt to keep Miley with her a little while longer…

Everyone remained silent, barely paying any attention to the television anymore. Robbie hugged Lilly a little tighter. "I'm… I'm glad you came here to watch, Lilly…" he hoarsely whispered. "It really means a lot to me, you know."

Lilly nodded simply, nearly bursting into tears as the tingling in her left hand began to fade. "M-Me too…"

Jackson suddenly stood and, without saying anything, ran towards the stairs and up to his bedroom. Tears had been threatening to fall the whole time and he couldn't bear to hold them in any longer. Especially since it felt like his sister was right there with them all. It had all been too much for him.

Back in the living room, Lilly released herself from Mr. Stewart's hold. She took a good look around the house; memories coming to her left from right. Lilly nearly felt dizzy from it all.

"…Are you okay, Lilly?" Heather softly asked, rubbing her daughter's back while exchanging worried looks with both Robbie and Ruthie.

A slow nod was her only answer for a while. Finally, after a few moments, she spoke very quietly. "I…I want to go see Oliver…"

"Okay." Heather ran her right hand through her hair. "Want me to bring you there?"

"No," she replied, shaking her head. "I feel like taking a walk…"

Heather felt helpless as she watched her shattered daughter stand up from the couch. Before her departure though, she leaned down to hug Robbie, whispering a thank you, and then headed out the door. None of the adults knew what to say or what to do for the matter. So all three of them sat as the TV continued on with its programs…

…..

The crisp night air chilled Lilly to the bone as she slowly walked down the sidewalk closer to Oliver's house. Sniffling was all that could be heard while she crossed her arms tightly around herself in hopes to stay warm. Lifting her watery eyes, Lilly found that she had arrived at her destination. Knowing Oliver would always be there for her brought on some comfort and right now that's what Lilly needed more than anything. Jogging up the steps, the blonde knocked loudly and waited somewhat patiently for someone to answer. No one in this household knew she was coming.

Nancy Oken wasn't too shocked to find Lilly Truscott on the other side of her door. She opened her arms at once. "Oh, Lillian…"

Lilly buried her face into the woman's chest. The very woman who had been like a second mother to her. "I w-want to s-see Oliver…" Her cries were muffled but very clear.

Nancy sadly led her over to the staircase. "He's up in his room, sweetheart. Go on up; I'm sure he'd love to see you."

After wiping her eyes with the sleeves of Miley's sweatshirt, Lilly made her way up. She was eager to be with someone who knew better than to bombard her with how she was feeling.

Up in Oliver's bedroom the dark-haired boy sat on his bed slowly flipping through older and newer photos of himself, Miley, and Lilly. Seeing the 'Supergirl' music video was challenging and had only made him come to realize just how much he truly missed Miley. Tears splashed down on the plastic holdings of the photo book as memories continued to flood Oliver's mind. He had bottled up his emotions – Joannie had been right – and Oliver knew he couldn't keep them in any longer.

Hearing his bedroom door open startled Oliver. Although upon seeing Lilly, he calmed down instantly. There was no use in hiding his anguish now that she had found him in the middle of a breakdown. All he could do was stare back at the questioning eyes looking his way.

Lilly never expected to walk in on Oliver crying. Oliver had been so strong. He had been her rock ever since the _incident _happened. Instead of freaking out Lilly actually found this to be relieving. It was comforting to know she wasn't alone on feeling so helpless. "Ollie…" she tiredly croaked out.

In one swift movement Oliver met Lilly half way and engulfed her in a tight, much needed hug. Lilly buried her nose into the crook of his neck, her tears soaking his skin, while Oliver's was buried in her windblown blonde hair. Together the two best friends cried, releasing their suffering over the loss of Miley. Even though he was in so much pain right now, Oliver felt equally better on an emotional level. He didn't have to hide his pain. Not around Lilly. Not around anyone. "It h-hurts, Lilly," he admitted through tears.

"Trust me, I kn-know," she replied, voice raw and full of understanding.

Using all his strength, Oliver managed to pull back, keeping his hands on Lilly's shoulders. "I'm sorry, Lilly. I…I tried to be strong for you…"

"You don't have to be." Lilly swept at her reddening eyes again. "Miley was your best friend too…"

Sighing, Oliver ran his hands through his hair before turning to take his previous position on his bed on the opposite side of the room. "I tried too hard to make you feel better."

Lilly stuffed both her hands into the pockets of the hooded sweatshirt and walked over to take a seat next to Oliver. "No… You were trying to help me. I needed it and I still do."

"We both do," Oliver added, wrapping a supportive arm around Lilly's shoulders. He then laid back until both of them were lying on their backs staring up at the ceiling. "I'm still sorry." His body stiffened at the sudden movement of Lilly shifting to her side, her arm thrown across his stomach, and placing her head onto his shoulder.

"Let's just forget about it, okay?" Lilly requested. Words didn't need to be spoken between the two. Lilly was just grateful to be with her best friend – _male _best friend – at the moment. Thinking things through, she finally decided to say what needed to be said. "Oliver?"

"Hmm?" he hummed, keeping his eyes focused on the ceiling.

"There was one thing I meant on Friday…"

Oliver tilted his head until it was fully rested against his friend's. "Which was…?"

"I don't ever want to forget Miley, and…I don't want to be happy without her…"

"Lilly…"

"Please just let me talk," she quietly pleaded. Oliver cued her to go on by lightly running his hand up and down her arm. "I need you to promise me something."

Oliver swallowed. "I don't know if I can do that without knowing what it is, Lils."

"This is important," Lilly said, lifting her head up to look him in the eyes. "I know I promised Miley that I'd try to go on without her, but I need _you _to promise me that…that if there would ever be an opportunity for me to be with her again, to please, _please _let me go…"

Air became heavy for Oliver from the seriousness of that difficult request. Tightness overtook his throat while vigorously shaking his head; eyes burning with unshed tears. "I-I can't do that"—

"_Please!_" A single tear made its way down Lilly's cheek. "I'm serious about his, Oliver. Even though Miley's…gone…she's still my whole world. If there is _any _possibility of me being able to be with her again soon, I want it to happen… Miley will always be my One. I can still feel her with me at times and I long for that feeling to be continuous. _Please_, Oliver…"

Oliver could feel his heart break for more reasons than one. His tears returned full force as he looked up into the desperate, pleading eyes of one of the most important people in his life. "Okay…" he whispered. "I promise."

Hearing these words was all Lilly needed to calm her aching heart; if only for a moment. "Thank you, Oliver," Lilly quietly replied. Wiping away her tears, she placed her head back down onto Oliver's strong shoulder. Feeling that she had her emotions under control she continued voicing her thoughts. "Do you ever feel like it _would _be easier to forget…?"

"Honestly, no… I'd never want to forget Miley." Oliver shifted so he could have both of his arms around Lilly. "You and I both know that she wants us to remember her. That's what keeps her alive."

Lilly lightly nodded against him. "You have no idea how true that is…"

Their time together was spent reminiscing on times they shared with Miley. Minutes turned to hours as they laughed, cried, and simply talked things out. Eventually though, Lilly grew tired and was now starting to fall sleep against Oliver. Having someone be there for her during a difficult time like this was very much appreciated to her. As she drifted off to sleep, Lilly failed to notice the look of adoration on Oliver's face.

When Oliver knew for certain that his best friend was sound asleep he tilted his face down to press a light kiss on her forehead. Knowing he was growing tired himself he found it wise to send a quick text to Heather informing her that Lilly had fallen asleep. Heather gave the okay for Lilly to stay and then Oliver, leaving his lights on so he wouldn't have to move, fell asleep huddled up with Lilly; a content smile on his tear-stained face.

Nearly twenty minutes later, Joannie decided to tough it out after many hours of thinking to work things out with her boyfriend. Mrs. Oken directed the young brunette up the stairs and she excitingly went on up. Joannie knew she overreacted earlier and was more than happy to admit that. Oliver loved her and—

Joannie froze. There, right there in front of her, was her boyfriend sound asleep cuddled up with Lilly on his bed. The look on Oliver's face was what stung her heart the most. Oliver looked so happy holding Lilly in his arms. Yes, Joannie knew there was no chance those two would ever hook up, but just the thought that Oliver still had feelings for Lilly made the brunette nauseous. Only when her tears ran over her dry lips did Joannie realize she was crying. Shaking her head, Joannie abruptly turned out the lights, quietly shut the door – for Lilly's sake – and stormed out down the stairs; desperately trying not to break down in front of the Oken's. Joannie feared that Oliver's feelings would never really change. Lilly always came first to him.

Her heart was broken.

...

"_But yesterdays gone, we gotta keep moving on  
I'm so thankful for the moments, so glad I got to know you  
The times that we had I'll keep like a photograph  
And hold you in my heart forever  
I'll always remember you"_

("I'll Always Remember You" – Hannah Montana)

* * *

**Drama. Are you worried? lol**

**I tried to focus on everyone's pain at least a little bit in this chapter. Hopefully I did well on that. As you can probably tell, things are going to start getting pretty tense now. I've got plans.**

**:)**

**Please review! I love you all!**

**(*corrections have been made)**


	17. Stay Together For the Kids

**Sorry guys!**

**I could go on and on with my usual excuses, but I think you know by now that I just suck at updating, lol. I finally got this chapter finished and, no worries, there's plenty more to come. This chapter is pretty much just drama filled. Hope it's not boring :p And I would read through this, but I'm super tired. I'll fix any errors later. Yes, I say that a lot, lol.**

**Thank you guys so much for all the great, amazing reviews on the previous chapter. But come on... Loliver? Do you guys not know me? Haha. Don't worry about it. Things will get explained eventually :) Hope you enjoy this chapter! Hope to hear from you all again :)**

Chapter 17 – Stay Together For the Kids

Heather ran a hand through her already messy hair and let out a sigh of frustration. She and Randall were seated at the kitchen table discussing issues involving their daughter. They had just received a phone call from the school's Principal informing them that Lilly was nearly failing the majority of her classes. Both of them were at a loss on what to do to help. "She's giving up, Randy… I don't know what to do anymore."

"What do you have against therapy?" asked Randall. "Lilly obviously needs to seek professional help. Nothing else is getting through to her."

"Do you honestly think therapy is going to make her feel any better about the fact that Miley's gone?" she asked disbelievingly.

"It certainly wouldn't hurt!" Randall couldn't help but raise his voice. "How could you not want to give it a try?"

"You know darn well that Lilly would protest against the idea. She won't even talk to _us _about Miley, why would she with some stranger?" Heather asked irritably.

"Psychiatrists are trained to deal with things like that! Come on, Heather… Lilly needs _something _to help her." Randall's voice was desperate by this point.

"I know, Randy," Heather sighed tiredly. "But in all honesty, I think it should be Lilly's decision. We shouldn't force her into something she'd be uncomfortable with."

"Then how else are we going to help her?" Randall nearly shouted. He was growing more frustrated at his wife as the conversation continued.

"Please, just let Lilly decide for herself" –

"Let me decide what?"

Heather was quick to jump in before Randall could say anything. "Nothing, sweetie… How was school today?"

Lilly eyed her parents suspiciously, especially considering the look her Dad was giving her mother at the moment. "Boring… What's going on?" she slowly asked while setting her backpack down on the kitchen counter.

"Okay…" Randall thought of a way to properly approach the subject. "We were discussing about the idea of, well…setting things up for you to perhaps talk with a Psychiatrist…"

"What?" shouted the young blonde, her eyes narrowing at each of her parents.

"Lilly, we're trying to look out for you. If you talk to a professional about Miley then maybe you can start moving past it all…"

"You can't be serious!" Lilly's attention quickly turned towards her mother. "Please tell me you're not serious!"

"It's totally up to you, Lilly, but…we are rather concerned…" Heather explained.

"I'm fine," she answered bitterly.

"No you're not," Randall abruptly shot back.

"No amount of therapy is going to make my life any easier, Dad!" Lilly yelled, losing all self control.

"Lilly, you don't know that until you at least try. It won't do any harm…"

"I'm not going!" Getting a very stern look from her Dad, Lilly turned to face her mother again. "…I'm. Not. Going." The blonde said more calmly than before.

Heather's eyes were sad at the sight of her daughter's obvious discomfort. "Honey, go on upstairs. We won't bring it up anymore. If you don't want to go, then that's fine…"

After shooting her father a heated glare Lilly wasted no time in darting up the staircase. Tears burned her eyes as the short conversation replayed in her mind. Like she said, no amount of therapy could mend her life back together.

Meanwhile Randall stared at his wife with a dumbfound expression. "Heather!"

"What? I told you not to bother her with the idea but you did it anyways," she explained, clearly annoyed at her husband.

"She's depressed, Heather! What more has to happen before you decide Lilly needs professional help? Does she have to start cutting herself before you see how serious this is?"

Heather abruptly stood on her feet, shooting death glares at Randall. "How dare you…" she nearly growled. "That is my daughter you're talking about! I'm extremely worried about her! Don't you _ever _say otherwise!"

Randall threw his hands up in the air. "Fine, I give up. But if something happens to Lilly then…"

"Then what?" Both adults stared at one another hard. "What, Randy? You'll blame me? Is _that _what you're saying?" Heather kept her eyes on her husband and, after getting no response, she huffed. "I see… Well, if that's how you feel then maybe I'll just leave."

"Heather…"

"I'll be at my mothers," she sternly scolded as she walked over to grab her purse, swung the door open, and angrily shut it behind her. Tears quickly gathered in her tired blue eyes and once she was in the isolated security of her vehicle, she allowed them to fall.

Inside, Randall sadly stared at the door his wife had just walked out of. A frustrated sigh escaped him and he glumly walked over towards the sofa to sulk. Sure, he had felt that way, but he never meant to have Heather figure that out. Ever. All he wanted was to get his daughter the help she needed and, for reasons unknown to him, Heather didn't want that. He couldn't understand her logic. Lilly was clearly slipping away from them and he was at a total loss on what to do… Especially since he seemed to be handling this alone. Or at least it felt like it.

At the top of the stairs Lilly sat, nearly shaking, trying to muffle her crying by clamping both hands over her quivering lips. Tears pooled out endlessly from her tightly closed eyelids and disappeared behind her hands. Her parents fighting continued to get worse lately and Lilly knew it was all because of her. They were finally starting to get along but then Lilly had to mess it all up by her depressive mood.

Lilly was far more than upset about the whole situation. She was sick of it. Once she dried her eyes with the back of her hand, Lilly quickly stood and darted into her bedroom. No way was she staying here all day.

Less than five minutes later the irritated teen was darting down the stairs with her ipod in hand and quickly made her way to the door; completely ignoring her father's confused stare.

"Where are you going?" he casually asked.

"Anywhere but here," she snipped.

Randall's eyebrows creased in concern. "Wait, Lilly… What's wrong?"

Lilly froze at the door. "…Maybe you and Mom should double check to see that I'm out of earshot before you start fighting about me next time…"

In an instant Randall could feel his heart freeze and face fall. "I-I, um…we thought you were…"

"Yeah, not listening. I gathered that much." Lilly inhaled deeply to keep herself from crying. "I'm _so _out of here." As she walked out of the house her father's protests were the last thing Lilly heard before she slammed the door shut. It was then that she let her tears fall freely and, without looking back once, Lilly placed her headphones in and turned on her favorite playlist. Although she knew she didn't have a long walk to where she was heading, she wanted to build up the nerve to do so. Shaking her head, Lilly cleared out all the memories flooding back to her by these simple songs and just kept walking…

….

Robbie Ray sadly hummed to himself as he finished polishing his piano. He took a step back to admire the instrument. So many memories sat at that very piano bench; memories Robbie would always hold close to his heart. Susan's laughter echoed in his mind when he closed his eyes, thinking back to when his beloved wife would sit with their then two-year-old daughter at this piano and would play anything and everything. Miley would always lean her little head back to look up at her mother with her big, beautiful blue-grey eyes and laugh. That was something the two of them always shared: their love for the piano.

Tears quickly made their way into Robbie's tired eyes and he pinched the bridge of his nose to keep them at bay. He was doing fairly well at trying not to cry, but when memories like those came to play, it couldn't be stopped.

A sudden knock at the door snapped him out of his thoughts, which he was grateful for. Quickly, he set down his cleaning supplies and rushed over to the door. He was slightly shocked to see who was standing there on his deck. "Lilly?"

Lilly walked straight in without a word; keeping her eyes on her feet. "I-I just…I had to come here…" she rasped out.

"Is everything okay?" Robbie gently asked after closing the door. Lilly was already seated on the couch so he wondered over to sit next to her.

"No…" She wiped at her eyes, though Lilly was ashamed of crying here. Mr. Stewart knew what this pain was like. He knew better than anyone. After a few moments of silence the blonde decided to give reason as to why she showed up out of the blue. "…My parents are fighting again… I d-don't know what to do…"

"Ah, Lilly, I'm sorry to hear that…" Robbie placed his left hand on the blonde's shoulder for support. In return she leaned in to hug him.

"E-Every time this happened I w-would come here and…and talk to Miley about th-this and she always knew what to s-say to make me feel better… I _never _had to deal with this w-without her. I don't know what to do!" Lilly cried, pouring out all of her worries into Robbie's shoulder.

"Hey, hey, it's all right, Lilly…" Robbie was pretty choked up at Lilly's confession, but he had to set aside his own grief, just for a moment, to help Lilly out. "You can still get through this."

Lilly frantically shook her head against his shoulder. "N-Not without Miley…"

"Now, Lilly, I know it's hard but you can do this," he encouraged softly. "What did Miley tell you whenever you came to her with this?"

"It doesn't matter because she's not here…"

Robbie's heart sank at the heartbreaking tone of Lilly's voice. "She's there in your heart"—

"That's not the same!" she tearfully interrupted. "And it never will be!"

"It can be if you let yourself believe."

"Please, I…I _really _don't want to talk about it right now," Lilly replied as she wiped at her eyes again. "All I want is to just forget about it."

"Ya see, Lilly, that's the thing… You can't just forget about it." Robbie easily ignored the huff that came from the young blonde. "Come on, you know I'm right. From what I hear, everyone always tells you that."

"One would think you'd be the one to understand." Lilly's voice was soft while she spoke, looking Mr. Stewart in the eyes.

"Trust me, I do." Robbie reached out a hand to squeeze Lilly's shoulder. "The thing is, though, I don't like keeping things bottled up. If I spent all this time trying not to think about Susan or Miley I would drive myself insane. I think about them all day every day. Whenever I'm down I just think of things they've said to me to cheer me up. It helps… And Lilly, I know it could help you too if you let yourself feel it."

Seeing Lilly blink back tears was enough for him to pull the younger girl into an embrace. Within a few seconds her body was trembling and Robbie felt his throat tighten. So, for several minutes, he sat there with her in the middle of the living room in silence while she softly cried. Robbie took several deep breaths before continuing. "Miley passed away right in front of my eyes, Lilly," he rasped out softly. "Not one day goes by where I don't think about that… It hurts _so _much, but…but I know she wouldn't want me to let that moment ruin the rest of my life."

"H-How do you d-do it?" Lilly asked through deep breaths.

"I think about her all the time, Lilly. Just allow yourself to go back and remember what she'd always tell you in times like this. You'll feel so much better. Trust me."

Yes. Lilly did trust him. She never broke the embrace as she closed her eyes, took in several deep breaths to calm herself down, and let Miley's words replay in her mind.

_**~November 6, 2008~**_

_Miley was sprawled out on her bed at eight thirty on a Thursday night finishing up some last minute homework. Exhaustion mixed with pure boredom made things a lot harder to get accomplished. A quiet yawn escaped the brunette so therefore she decided to take a break. Both her hands rose up to rub her tired eyes and in that moment there was a dull knock on her bedroom door. "Come in," she tiredly answered._

_Lilly emerged into the room with eyes glazed over with unshed tears. Upon seeing this, Miley bolted from her bed and over into her girlfriend's awaiting arms. "Lilly, what's wrong?" Miley asked in a concerned tone._

_All Lilly could do was cling to Miley as tightly as she could; crying freely. She had been fighting tears all the way here, but now that she was in Miley's loving embrace she felt no need to hold back any longer. The two girls stood there together, not saying a word, while Lilly tried to calm down enough to speak. Once the blonde had control over her tears, she felt herself being pulled towards Miley's bed. Lilly swiped away her tears in a quick movement but it did no good. Tears still trickled down her dampened cheeks._

_Miley tilted Lilly's head up so she could wipe the fresh tears away with the pads of her thumbs. "What's going on, Lils?"_

_"M-My parents, they, um…they're separating…" Lilly brokenly whispered._

_"What?" Miley gasped, eyes going wide at the complete shock of the news that was just announced to her._

_"Yeah…" Lilly replied breathily. Her hands lifted to run through her air blown blonde hair. "I don't know what to do…"_

_"Come here." Miley took Lilly into her arms and, together, they laid down on the brunette's bed. "Did they say why?"_

_"Well, as you know, they've been fighting for a while but I thought it was nothing, ya know?" Lilly explained. "Apparently things are a lot worse than I thought… They said they just can't agree on anything anymore and that it's become a big problem. But they did add that they're still willing to try and work things out. Their marriage councilor suggested a separation to see how things go from there. I'm so worried that they'll both think that it would be best to get a divorce…" Lilly's voice trailed off at the end before she buried her face into the crook of her girlfriend's neck. "I know they still love each other so why can't they see it too?"_

_Miley let her hand glide through Lilly's hair as she contemplated on what the right thing to say would be. "I'm sure they do, Lils. Maybe all they need to be able to fully take in what they really have is to have this separation. I understand that it would be hard to deal with but, I don't know… Sometimes some people just need that extra push. Sorry if I'm not making any sense…"_

_A ghost of a smile grazed over Lilly's lips. "You're doing fine, Miles."_

_"Good." Smiling, Miley turned her head to place a gentle kiss on Lilly's forehead. "The way I see it is that they'll work things out because true love always conquers the bad things in life."_

_"Which is exactly why I came to you with this." Lilly and Miley shared a genuine smile before leaning in for a sensual kiss. "Do you really think they'll work things out?" she asked once their lips parted._

_"Of course I do. Nobody can run away from true love and that's what they've got, Lilly."_

_"How can you be so sure?" Lilly asked, letting her right hand slip into Miley's curly locks._

_"Because I can see it whenever they look at each other. I just can't see something so beautiful could fall apart. Love like that doesn't come around often and it's definitely worth fighting for. They'll realize how lucky they are to have one another one of these days and then they'll never want to let go."_

_Lilly sighed comfortably. "Kind of like how I know I'm lucky and never want to let go?"_

_"Exactly." Miley beamed. "Just like how __**we're **__lucky and never wanna let go."_

_"I love you so much, Miles. I seriously don't know what I would do without you." With that said, Lilly leaned in to reconnect her lips with Miley's and simply enjoyed the feeling of holding her in her arms. No matter what the situation was, Miley always found a way to make Lilly feel better and she was more than grateful for that. Miley never failed her…_

…

Lilly blinked as she repeated that moment in her mind over and over again. Miley was always so positive about Lilly's parents and she really believed her every time she said things would be okay. Now though, things seemed bleak. She needed her parents to see that what they had was beautiful. The only problem was how. How could she get them to see that? A few tears slipped from her eyes when the aching need to have Miley close became too much. _'How am I going to get through this without you, Miles?'_

…

Books and papers were piled on the large table Oliver and Joannie were working on at the local library. Oliver tapped his pencil lightly against the half written page in his notebook as he glanced over at his female companion. Things have been sketchy between them ever since Joannie confronted Oliver on spotting him and Lilly cuddled up on his bed together. It was honestly nothing but no matter how much he tried, she wouldn't believe him. "Hey, Joannie?" Oliver carefully whispered.

"What?" Joannie whispered back with a hint of irritation to her tone.

"Can we please talk? It's been almost two weeks…"

"If it's about this project then yes, we can talk," she replied more irritably.

"Joannie, please," Oliver nearly pleaded, setting down his pencil to fully face her. "No matter what I say or do you never seem to believe me. I don't have feelings for Lilly anymore."

Joannie slammed her pen down onto the table and whipped her head to look at Oliver. "Oliver… You're either in complete denial or lying to me."

"Excuse me?" he gasped.

"Look," she began while rubbing her forehead with the palms of her hands, "if you can just admit it out loud then we can find some way to get pass this."

A sad sigh was all that came out of Oliver a few seconds later. His brown eyes looked down at his notebook and a few seconds later he shut it. Joannie was obviously not going to let this die. "Fine. We'll talk… But can we _please _at least go somewhere private?"

"Certainly," Joannie answered simply. She and Oliver worked in silence at gathering up all their needed materials for their major senior project, which was a workbook and packet on future financial planning. Once they checked to make sure they each got everything they needed, Joannie followed Oliver out of the library. She'd have to be blind to not be able to tell that Oliver was really upset.

Next to the stairs of the library was a bus bench and Oliver was quick to sit on it. He set his backpack on the ground in front of his feet, placed his elbows on his knees, and his chin in his hands. When Joannie finally sat next to him he turned to face her. "…Do you really think that, Joannie? What you said back there?" he asked with nothing but seriousness in his voice.

Joannie locked her sad eyes with her boyfriend's. "It's kinda hard not to… You _really _liked her and…and when I saw you asleep with her I…I…"

"Listen to me…" Oliver leaned in closer. "Lilly finally opened up to me about Miley. We talked about the past, she told me how she pictured their future together, just…anything… Do you know how happy that made me? Come on, Joannie, you know how hard we've all been trying to get her to open up."

"Yes," she spoke, "but you didn't have to practically spoon her."

"She cuddled up to me! I wasn't going to push her away while she was crying!"

No words came out of Joannie's mouth when she tried to speak. The anger and confusion in Oliver's eyes stunned her. "I…um…"

Oliver sighed, pushing himself up. "Am I just wasting my time talking?" he asked.

"No, I just…" She let out a frustrated puff of air and stood as well. "Do you love her?" Her eyes pleaded for an answer, yet she knew that she feared what the answer would be. Joannie just had to know one way or the other.

"…You're going to keep asking me, aren't you?" Upon seeing Joannie nod her head yes, Oliver finally decided to answer the best way he could. "Okay, well… Yes, I do love Lilly." Joannie's expression fell and Oliver stepped closer to her, placing his hands onto her shoulders. "_But_…I'm in love with you. I knew a long time ago that nothing would happen between Lilly and I and that hasn't changed. Joannie, I don't know how many times I've had to tell you all of this. Now, I'll always love Lilly. She's been in my life for about fourteen years so she'll always have a big part of my heart. You just have to know that I love you so much, but if this whole Lilly thing bothers you so much, then, well…it's your call…"

Tears lined Joannie's eyes and she had to look away in order to keep them from spilling over. "I…I guess I need some space to think, Ollie…" she painfully admitted.

Silence surrounded them and Oliver was in a haze; barely acknowledging that his arms fell back to his sides. Swallowing was difficult due to the increasing tightness growing in his throat. "Th-Then I guess I can't stop you… I r-really thought we could make it through this time around…" Giving one last teary look to Joannie, Oliver glumly picked up his backpack, swung it over his shoulder, and began walking home alone. Both hearts were broken as Joannie and Oliver went their separate ways with tear-streaked faces.

…..

Randall paced the living room in his house nervously, constantly checking his cell phone. Two hours had passed since he began calling Heather. She had yet to call him back, which was truly getting on his last nerve. He finally broke down and sent her a text message explaining that Lilly had overheard them, left, and to call him back or come home as soon as possible. _That _had been over half an hour ago.

A car door slammed outside and Randall darted over to the window where he could see Heather rushing out towards the front door. "About damn time…" he mumbled to himself.

Heather swung the door open, finding her husband right away. "Randy, what's going on?" she rushed out in panic.

"I've been trying to call you for nearly two hours, Heather! Why haven't you called me back?" he demanded.

"I was mad at you, Randy. But that's not what I'm upset about right now. Where did Lilly go? What did she say to you?" Heather's voice was calm. All this fighting was wearing her out and she just wanted to make sure her daughter was all right.

"I don't know where she went. All she said was that if we were going to talk about her behind her back then we should make sure she's out of the room first… Then she left."

"Dammit…" Heather rubbed her forehead in hopes to fight off a headache that she was sure was working its way up towards migraine territory. "Have you tried calling her recently?"

"Well, not recently, but I did earlier…" When Heather sat on the couch looking defeated, Randall couldn't help but join her. "We'll need to talk to her you know."

"We'll also have to be more careful," she added.

"Or try harder all together." Randall leaned back on the couch, clasping his hands together in his lap. "I'm sorry I got so upset, it's just… I really think Lilly should see someone for help. You weren't there that day when I found her with those pills. I'm completely terrified every single time she's out of my sight."

"So am I," Heather jumped in. "I just know that pushing her into things never works."

"Maybe she'd be willing to try if we calmly discuss it with her. Ease her into it a little bit or something."

"Randy, can we talk about this later? I just want to know where Lilly is." Heather pulled at her hair, keeping her eyes to the floor.

"All right, I'll give it another shot." Digging into his front left pocket, Randall fished out his cell phone and pressed 2 on his speed dial, hoping Lilly would pick up. Ring after ring with no reply left him feeling helpless. So he called the one person that always seemed to help him out in times like this.

…..

Oliver, with his hands tucked deep in his pockets, walked down the familiar sidewalk he used to travel on quite often. He could see the Stewart household in the near distance when his phone went off. Since his hand was already curled around the ringing object, he pulled it out swiftly. "Hello?" he answered without reading the caller I.D.

"Hey, Oliver, it's Randall," came the response. "You don't by any chance know where Lilly is, do you?"

"Um, no… I haven't seen or talked to her all day. Why?" Oliver was beginning to feel concerned now.

"She left hours ago and she won't answer either of our calls. Guess you could say Lilly's fairly upset with us… Anyways, could you please try calling her? Just to see if she's okay?"

"Sure." He sighed quietly. "I'll let you know when I find her."

"Thanks sport. I know I ask you to do this a lot, but we really appreciate it. Talk to you later, all right?"

"Yeah… Bye." After he hung up with Randall, Oliver pulled Lilly's number up right away. He stared at the digits for a while before putting his phone back in his pocket. First he would check to see if Lilly was at the Stewart's.

Instead of walking, Oliver jogged the rest of the way over and, once he was up the steps, knocked politely at the door.

Jackson opened the door and was slightly surprised to see Oliver. "Hey, Oken. What's up?"

"You don't happen to know where Lilly is, do you?" he asked straight away.

"Ah, you just missed her. She was here all evening and left about twenty minutes ago, give or take."

"Damn… Was she okay?" Oliver's eyes held concern as he looked at Jackson.

"Yeah, she seemed to be. Apparently she wasn't when she first got here though. Try calling to see where she is. It didn't sound like she was planning on heading back home," Jackson said with a shrug.

"Okay, I just wanted to check with you guys first." Before Oliver turned to leave he looked over at Jackson again. "How's your Dad holdin' up?"

"It's been hard…" Jackson leaned against the door frame, his eyes downcast. "He plays his guitar quite a bit but otherwise he's pretty quiet. Having Lilly around today seemed to help lift his mood though. It was nice to see them both smile."

"Good." He nodded, smiling. "Maybe I should come by sometime to kick your butt at some video games."

Jackson let out a laugh. "Totally." He held out his fist and they bumped knuckles. "See ya around."

"See ya…" Finally turning to leave, Oliver headed down the sidewalk once again. Instead of calling he sent out a text to Lilly asking where she was. Luckily it didn't take long to receive a reply.

_'Star gazing with Miley. U R invited 2.'_

By the light vibe the text seemed to give off Oliver knew he didn't need to worry about his blonde haired best friend. He knew exactly where she was now. Sending back a reply stating he'd be there soon, Oliver quickly rushed home to get his car.

…..

A pleasant breeze blew through Oliver's short hair while he walked along the path towards Miley's grave site. It was a beautiful Friday night and he didn't mind being outdoors. Up ahead he could see Lilly laying in the grass, head propped up against Miley's grave stone cushioned by her sweatshirt. Her eyes were focused on the stars above and ear buds were firmly in place, indicating her ipod was currently in use. Lilly did, however, take one out once Oliver approached; sending a quick message to Lilly's parents that he found her. "Hey, Lilly…" he greeted quietly, not wanting to disturb the peaceful silence around them.

"Hey." Lilly offered a weak smile, keeping her eyes to the sky.

Oliver took a seat next to the blonde, wrapping his arms around his bent knees. "Heard you hung out with Jackson and Mr. Stewart."

"Yeah… I just had to get out of my house," she admitted.

"Are things not going so well at your place?" Oliver wrapped his right arm around Lilly's shoulders and pulled her in for a half hug.

"No… I don't really want to talk about it right now. It took a while for Mr. Stewart to cheer me up. In fact…" Lilly reached over to her right and pulled up a framed eight by ten photograph. "Mr. S gave me this," she said as she handed Oliver the photo. "This was apparently going to be Miley's senior photo for the yearbook…"

"Wow." A smile appeared as Oliver took a good look at the photo. Miley was posed so it was an over the shoulder shot, wearing a dark blue dress shirt with her long wavy hair flowing down her back and a gorgeous smile on her face that reached her grey-blue eyes. "…I'm sure they could still use it in the yearbook." Lilly simply nodded; too choked up to speak right away. "God I miss her…" he whispered and ran his thumb over Miley's portrait.

Lilly could feel her eyes mist over so she decided to try and change the subject. "Me too… Hey, um…how'd studying with Joannie go?"

"Well…not so good." He gave Lilly back the picture and couldn't miss the concerned look being thrown his way.

"What happened?" Lilly gave him all her attention.

"I…I guess we're on a break right now…"

Lilly's face fell. Not them too… "What? Why?"

How could Oliver tell Lilly the truth? What was he supposed to say? That Joannie's convinced that he loves Lilly? No way. "She just doesn't seem to believe that I'm in love with her."

"Why on Earth would she think that?" Lilly asked in disbelief.

"Joannie thinks I still like someone else. Stupid, right?" He laughed nervously.

Lilly eyed him suspiciously. "Do you?"

"No." He shook his head. "At least not anymore… Like I said, it's stupid. I just need to figure out how to get her to believe me. I love her so much, Lilly…"

A moment passed where neither of them said a word. Lilly sadly glanced down at the photo of Miley and her heart ached. "I'm sure she'll come around. Like Miley always said… 'You can't run away from true love.'"

"Well, let's hope she's right on that." Oliver let out a content sigh as Lilly placed her head on his shoulder. He truly did hope that Miley's philosophy on love was true. Losing Joannie was one of his biggest fears and—

"Hey, Ollie?" Lilly whispered, interrupting the brunette boy's thoughts.

"Hmm?" he hummed.

"You've known my parents pretty much your whole life… Do you think they'll work things out?"

"I really can't imagine them getting a divorce, Lils." Oliver squeezed her arm reassuringly.

"Everything's so messed up." She sighed. "Miley's gone, you and Joannie are on the rocks, _and _my parents can't stop fighting… I _really _hate all of this."

"So do I. We just have to keep believing that things will get better."

Lilly scuffed at that. All she wanted was for people to realize how lucky they were to have the ones they love at their sides. Life could end at any given moment, so why waste it fighting and arguing over stupid little things. Love was so beautiful.

Without responding, Lilly picked up one of her ear buds and gave it to Oliver to use. He quietly took it, placed it in the correct ear and waited to hear what they would be listening to. His heart constricted when Miley's voice filled their ears. He then laid back in the grass, following Lilly's lead, to continue admiring the heavens above, wishing with everything they had that Miley was right there next to them to make their lives okay again. Miley's positive attitude was what both of them needed right about now. Nothing seemed possible anymore.

Trying to hold back her tears, Lilly held the photo over her chest; hugging it tightly. She had to find a way to help fix things. Fix things with everyone.

…..

'_Their anger hurts my ears  
Been running strong for seven years  
Rather than fix the problems, they never solve them  
It makes no sense at all  
I see them every day  
We get along so why can't they?  
If this is what he wants and this is what  
she wants  
Then why is there so much pain?'_

_**("Stay Together for the Kids" – Blink 182)**_

* * *

**There you have it. I won't make any promises on updating soon, but I certainly will try. I'm getting closer to parts of the story that I've been getting really anxious to write. Just sayin' ;)**

**Leave your thoughts! I love hearing from all of you. You make this story worth writing :)**


	18. Marisol

**Yay! A relatively quick update! :D I wanna say this is the quickest I have ever updated this story, but I'm not too sure on that one. If not, it's definitely one of the quickest :)**

**Anyways, thank you to everyone who reviewed before! It means a lot to me. AND I have finally figured out how many chapters on left on this story...5! I can't believe it's coming to the end already, but I'm very excited to get there cos it has been in my mind for, what...two years? Maybe longer. Anywho... I worked really hard to get this done for you guys. I finished a root canal today AND had my teeth cleaned 3 hours after that. I wanted to get this thing posted today and I did it!**

**Hope you enjoy the chapter :) I'll fix any errors later.**

Chapter 18- Marisol

_**March 1, 2010**_

Throughout the past weekend Lilly spent her time thinking long and hard about her parents, Joannie, and Oliver. She thought of them a lot actually. It was refreshing to have her mind occupied with other thoughts aside from how much she missed Miley, but it was still unsettling.

Right now it was late afternoon on a Monday, school was almost over for the day, and Lilly was staring impatiently at the clock. She had finally made up her mind that she was going to talk to Joannie herself. If she wouldn't believe Oliver, she was _going _to believe her. It had been a over a month now since Joannie declared they were on a break and Lilly was getting ticked off by Joannie's attitude.

"All right class, your assignment for tomorrow is on the board. Make sure you do it. Have a nice day."

Lilly cringed at her math teacher's monotone voice and quickly got out of her seat once the bell rang. She, once again, failed to write down the given assignment. The blonde knew she was failing anyways… Shaking those thoughts away, Lilly brought her focus back on Joannie. If she couldn't find her here, Lilly would go over to the brunette's house to talk to her if it came down to it. Oliver was hurting and _nobody _hurts her best friend and gets away with it.

Down the hall, Joannie stood at her locker shoving books and papers into her black backpack. From the corner of her eye she could see Lilly approaching with, what seemed to her, a very determined look on her face.

"Palumbo, I need to talk to you," Lilly called out harshly, making Joannie jump.

Joannie was taken aback by the harsh tone in Lilly's voice. It had been quite a while since she's heard that kind of anger being thrown at her from the blonde. "Whoa, what's up?"

Lilly's eyes shot daggers at the slightly taller girl in front of her and she had to inhale deeply to keep herself from completely losing all self control. "Can you please explain to me what the _hell _is wrong with you?"

An incredulous laugh shot from Joannie's mouth. "Excuse me? What are you talking about?"

"Oliver!" she nearly yelled, throwing her arms out for emphasis. "Explain to me why you haven't talked or made up with him yet!"

Joannie sighed. "Look, Lilly, you don't understand" –

"No, I don't think _you _do," the blonde growled. "Whatever your problem is with him, you need to either get over it or fix it. He is really upset that you don't believe him… My birthday's comin' up soon and it's going to suck anyways. The last thing I need right now is you and Oliver fighting or whatever it is you wanna call it. So please, for the love of God, go talk to him and make up already!"

All Joannie could do was stare in disbelief. Even before she and Lilly became friends she had never seen her this upset with her. "Lilly, I…"

"Just do it." Lilly held the brunette's stare for a while before letting out a frustrated sigh and stormed off. She didn't want to put up with this anymore.

Joannie groaned and slammed her locker shut. She really didn't want to talk to Oliver but at the same time she missed him terribly. Time was supposed to help her think things through but all it did was make her depressed he wasn't around to hold her. Maybe Lilly was right… "Damnit…" she grumbled and bolted off to go find Oliver.

…

Hey, sweetie," Heather greeted with caution as her daughter walked through the front door. "Did you turn in your late work that we went through this weekend?"

"Yes," Lilly mumbled, dropping her backpack in the entry way. "I still have a lot left to do, Mom. I don't know why we're even trying."

"So you can graduate, that's why. I'm not going to let you give up on your school work, Lillian." Heather motioned for Lilly to sit by her on the couch.

"I'm never going to be able to catch up," Lilly stated while taking a seat.

"Actually, I found a tutor if you'd want to give it a try… He'd be able to work with you after school and I feel that it could really help you with school. What do you think?" Heather was hesitant on asking since Lilly took the therapy idea badly; just like she knew she would.

"I guess." Lilly shrugged. "It's just…" She paused, thinking of what exactly she wanted to say. "Miley and I were supposed to graduate together… It was supposed to be _our _year. Part of me feels like I can't do this without her." Tears blurred her vision. "She was so excited about it…" She whispered out the last part.

"Oh, honey…" Heather's eyes were sad and she rubbed soothing circles on her daughter's back.

Lilly shook her head. "It's fine…" Then she rose to her feet, wanting to change the subject. "I, um, I'll do the tutor sessions just as long as the therapy thing doesn't come up again." Her voice was stern; conveying in how serious she was about the situation.

"I didn't want it brought up in the first place." The older blonde meant every word of it. Randall made the mistake of bringing it up again a few weeks earlier and Lilly nearly ripped his head off.

"Okay…" Before she turned to head towards the stairs Lilly gave her mother one more stern look. "And Mom? I really, _really _don't want a big birthday this year. Keep it small… I'd personally like nothing planned but I know that's not going to happen."

"Well it is your eighteenth birthday after all, but…I guess I'll try to keep it small. Do you want Robbie, Jackson, and Ruthie to come?"

Lilly nodded. "Of course."

"All right, sweetie." Heather stood up as well. "Why don't you go on up to your room and try to get some homework done, okay?"

"I'll try," she lied, giving her mother a hug. After her mom gave her a kiss on the cheek, Lilly went on up stairs to do…well, anything but homework. A nap sounded good…

As usual, around a half hour later, Randall came home from his office. He grabbed his briefcase from the passenger side seat and headed towards the steps to his house. It was a long day at work and all he could think about was his rocky relationship with his wife, which was just _now _starting to get somewhere, and his daughter's obvious discomfort with their on again/ off again fighting.

Randall set his briefcase down as he untied his work shoes and glanced around. "Heather?" he called out. "You home?"

"In the kitchen!" she replied from said room.

"Can we talk?" he asked while making his way over to the kitchen where Heather was working on tonight's dinner.

"About…?" she drawled out, looking up to make eye contact.

"Lilly's birthday." Randall leaned up against the island counter.

"I asked her about it when she came home. Actually, she brought it up first. She doesn't want a big party. Just a simple one with close friends and family."

"Okay… But, um, I was actually wondering more about a present. Do you know if she wants anything?"

Heather's eyes saddened. "Just something we'll never be able to give her…"

Randall nodded slowly; eyes downcast. "I want to get her something nice but I'm completely lost on an idea."

"Me too." She shrugged. "I think all we can really do right now is keep things simple _and _to get along."

"I'd like that." He smiled.

Heather smiled in return. "Oh, she agreed to study with a tutor by the way."

"Yes!" He beamed. "I can still help her with math, just not the other subjects. This will be perfect."

"I hope so. Hey, want to go tell her that supper will be ready in about fifteen or twenty minutes?"

"Sure." With a swift turn he walked into the living room and up the stairs. Lilly's door was partly open when he approached so he peeked his head in. "Lilly?" He paused when he noticed she was sound asleep. Her feet were propped up on pillows at the head of the bed, lying on her back, and iPod resting on her stomach. Tears stained her reddened face and Randall could feel his heart break at the sight of her. He knew that her birthday was going to be tough this year without Miley around and he just wished he knew how to make it just a little bit better.

Just like that and idea formed in his mind. With a sad smile Randall quietly closed Lilly's bedroom door and pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. He would need Oliver's help with this one.

…

_**March 10, 2010**_

"Happy birthday, Lilly!" Sarah excitingly proclaimed while running up to the lunch table the very sad looking blonde was sitting at. "I made you organic cupcakes." She smiled.

Lilly's face scrunched up. "Uh…Thanks, Sarah…"

Sarah took a seat across from Lilly, setting the container of cupcakes in the center of the table. "Just wanted to make you something that might cheer you up a little." A weak smile was all Sarah got from the blonde. "I wish I could do more."

"Thanks…" Lilly then stared blankly at her school lunch. "This is seriously the worst birthday ever."

"Lilly, I'm sure things will perk up. But, you do need to _let _yourself have fun."

"I know," she sighed out, pushing her half eaten food aside. "Miley would want me to have fun."

"She sure would." Sarah then looked past Lilly to find Joannie and Oliver, hands linked, heading their way. "Wow… It's about time those two made up," she commented warmly.

Lilly slowly turned in her seat and, at the sight of her two friends, her eyes widened.

"Hey guys," Oliver greeted as he and Joannie took their seats next to Lilly. "How's your birthday so far?" He smiled.

"Um, okay I guess…" The blonde raised an eyebrow at him. "Care to explain?"

Joannie smirked. "We're working things out. You were right, Lilly… I was being unreasonable. So, for a couple days I really thought things through and then I eventually called him."

"Which I was thrilled about." Oliver turned to stare lovingly into Joannie's brown eyes he loved so much. "I missed you."

"I missed you, too," she cooed.

Lilly's heart constricted. She was happy for them, yes, but every time anyone was affectionate with each other in front of her it made her miss Miley so much more. "Glad to hear it guys." She offered a fake warm smile.

Oliver knew Lilly well enough to know when a smile was a fake smile. He should have known she'd be pretty sensitive today. "So…" He cleared his throat. "You still having a get together at your place tonight?"

"Yeah…" Lilly drawled out with no enthusiasm. "You're invited, remember?"

"Just double checking," Oliver defended.

"I wish I could go," added Sarah. "I have this huge thing at Church…"

"Don't worry about it, Sarah. You'll have more fun at your Church thing," Lilly reassured.

"I still feel bad." Sarah pushed herself up. "Anyways, I'm going to get some food."

"Oh, I'll go with you. I want to get a bottle of water," Lilly said, standing up as well.

"We'll save the table!" Oliver called out as the two girls walked away. Once Lilly was out of ear shot he turned to face Joannie. "I finished up Lilly's present last night. You really think she's going to like it?"

Joannie hated how skeptical he looked. "Of course she will, Ollie. This gift is absolutely wonderful. Sure, she'll probably cry a lot, but Lilly will still love it. Don't worry so much about it. You and Mr. Truscott had a good idea."

"God I hope you're right." Oliver kissed her again. It felt so wonderful to have Joannie back again. Their time together working on Lilly's birthday present helped them out a lot. She was the one who convinced him to go through with it after Randall had called asking for help. Now all they had to do was wait and see if Lilly would love it as much as they all hoped she would.

…

The Truscott household was filled with banners and party supplies. Heather bustled about trying to get everything done for the small-ish party. Randall was able to get off work early so he could pick up Lilly's cake and get it to the house before she got home from school. He should be home any minute now.

"I'm here!" Randall announced, walking in with the large marble cake in his hands.

"Perfect!" Heather smiled. She quickly cleared off a space on the counter so Randall could set the cake down. "How'd it turn out?"

"Very nicely." He lifted the lid to show off the cake. "I got blue and purple flowers along the edges and had them use light blue frosting for the lettering."

"It looks absolutely wonderful." Smiling, Heather leaned in to press her lips against her husbands.

Randall smiled. "The house looks great by the way. When are our parents showing up?"

"Should be soon… Oh, Robbie, Ruthie, Jackson, and Dolly are coming as well."

"Wow, Dolly came all the way from Nashville to come to Lilly's party?" Heather nodded happily. "That was sweet of her."

"Sure was." The blonde woman clapped her hands together. "Let's get this place finished up. Lilly will be home in less than half an hour."

"We can do this. Together." Now it was Randall who leaned in for a kiss before he and Heather started picking up around the house.

…

Normally the cool breeze blowing through Lilly's hair would be calming. Not today though… Everything about this day was upsetting. Lilly just wanted to hide away and pretend that it wasn't her birthday.

When Lilly walked up the steps to her porch she turned to take a seat on a patio chair instead of going inside right away. With all the cars lined up in their driveway she knew there was going to be a small crowd inside. She wanted to compose herself first… Seeing as how the one person she wanted to be in there the most simply wasn't going to be there. "You can do this, Truscott," she whispered to herself reassuringly. Feeling as assured as she could feel at the moment, Lilly stood up and finally went inside.

"Happy birthday, Lilly!" everyone shouted the moment she walked through the door.

A real smile split across Lilly's face upon seeing everyone that came. Both sets of grandparents, the Stewarts'… It was amazing. She was mostly excited about her grandparents. It had been a _long _time since she's seen any of them. "I can't believe you guys came!" Lilly gushed as she ran towards her grandparents.

"Of course we came," Ted Truscott responded as he shared Lilly in a group hug.

"How are you feeling, sweetie?" her grandmother, Ann Robins, asked in concern.

"Honestly? Not so great." Lilly pulled back, looking at the floor.

Heather quickly cleared her throat, interrupting her mother from speaking further. "So, Lilly, when are Oliver and Joannie arriving?"

"Oh, Oliver had to stop by his house quickly. They should be here pretty soon," Lilly replied.

"Great! Why don't we start on serving food then? If you don't mind of course." Heather looked at Lilly, waiting to see what she would prefer.

"Go ahead."

While Lilly's family started helping on serving the food, Jackson walked over to Lilly after seeing her take a seat on the sofa. "Hey, happy birthday." He kindly smiled.

"Thanks." She sighed. "It's not exactly happy, though."

Jackson nodded, understanding. "She's here, Lilly," he quietly told her, placing a hand on the blonde's shoulder.

Lilly glanced down. "I know…" she whispered. How was she to tell him that it just _wasn't _the same?

"Don't you wanna get some food?" he asked while pointing his thumb over towards the kitchen.

"I'm waiting for Oliver and Joannie," she explained as she looked over at the front door.

"All right, I'll try to save you some food." Jackson smiled, tying to lighten the mood. To his satisfaction he got a smile in return.

After Jackson left to go into the kitchen Lilly's attention returned to the door. Shortly after, the door sounded. Her face scrunched up in confusion when it didn't swing open. Oliver knew he could always barge in. Sighing, Lilly stood up to answer the door and when Amber Addison was on the other side Lilly nearly jumped in surprise. "Oh, hey, Amber."

"Hey," the dark haired girl replied. "I know I wasn't invited or anything but I was going through things in my room the other day and came across something that I thought you would like back." Amber held up a medium sized box that was wrapped in shiny dark pink wrapping paper with a glittery white bow on top.

"Thank you…" Lilly took the box, feeling quite curious of what was in it. "Come inside," she offered.

"Oh, I don't want to intrude," Amber skeptically answered, holding up one hand.

"You won't be." Lilly stepped aside and gestured for the girl to come in.

Seeing that Lilly actually wanted her to do so, Amber walked in and followed Lilly into the living room. "I can't stay too long but I at least wanted to give you a present."

"It's okay. I appreciate it." Both girls sat on the couch and Lilly held up the gift. "Want me to open it now then?"

"Sure. Oh, it's technically from me and Ashley both. She had too much homework to work on to come with."

"Then I'll be sure to thank her tomorrow." With that being said, Lilly was careful with undoing the tape that held the lid in place. Once she saw what the gift was Lilly almost fell apart at how many emotions hit her all at once. "Oh my god, Amber…" Words failed the blonde as she pulled out a long cream colored scarf that she hadn't seen in years. It was the very scarf Miley had given her as Hannah _right _before Lilly discovered Miley actually was Hannah. Tears clouded her vision and yet a small chuckle escaped her at how stupid she must have acted that day in Hannah's dressing room.

_"My name is Lilly Truscott and I'm a __**huge **__fan!"_

Amber smiled sadly while watching Lilly admire the scarf. "I, um…I figured it had more sentimental value to you than it did to me…"

"Th-Thank you, Amber…" Before Lilly could stop herself she lunged at the popular girl and gave her a big hug. "I can't believe you still have this," she spoke quietly as she pulled back.

"Of course I still had it." She smiled. "It was a Hannah scarf after all. It makes much more sense now on why you let me have it."

Lilly surprised herself with another light chuckle. Her throat was too tight to respond so she settled for giving Amber another hug. The gift meant more to her than she could describe anyways.

Not too much longer after Lilly opened her present from Amber, Oliver and Joannie arrived. They, too, were surprised that Amber had done such a nice thing for Lilly. Once they all started talking, Amber decided she had time to eat a little bit with them. It was the least she could do.

Oliver was fairly overwhelmed by the scarf as well since he was at that same concert with Lilly. Heck, if it wasn't for his help, Lilly wouldn't have been able to sneak into Miley's dressing room. His thoughts were soon interrupted by Amber.

"Thanks again for letting me hang out for a while," she said to Lilly. "The food was delicious. I'm glad you liked the present." They both shared a smile.

"Thanks for coming." Lilly walked with Amber to the door. "I absolutely loved the scarf. That was a pretty big day for me and Miley's friendship."

"Glad I got it to you then." With each of them giving a final wave, Amber left and Lilly shut the door.

"I am really shocked that Amber gave you this," Oliver voiced, holding the item in his hands.

Lilly took the scarf after Oliver reached his arm out to offer it to her. "Yeah…" she whispered. Taking in a deep breath, Lilly wrapped the scarf around her neck loosely.

"All right, Lilly," Heather spoke from across the room; completely oblivious to what was going on. "I know you didn't want us to get you anything but want to start opening your presents?"

"Mom…"

"We didn't get you a lot of things, kiddo," Randall jumped in. "Have a seat."

"Fine," Lilly surrendered, taking a seat in the middle on the couch. Randall took one side while Heather took the other. Everyone else took various places around the living room.

"Here," Robbie Ray spoke, handing her a card. "We figured you'd like something simple. It's from me, Jackson, Ma, and Dolly."

"Thank you." Lilly set the card in her lap and watched a small pile of cards form on the coffee table. When Oliver placed a gift bag on top of them she looked up to give him a questioning look.

"Open this last," he said with a smile.

"Okay…" Looking up, Lilly noticed everyone was waiting patiently for her to begin. So, without saying anything, she held up the card from the Stewart's and tore into it…

"Thanks again for the cards everyone," Lilly said again as she set the last card aside. It didn't take very long but she still appreciated everything. Her grandparents gave her money, the Stewarts' got her an all day pass to her favorite skate park, and her parents just gave her a very sweet card.

Randall looked over and Oliver and nodded at him to start explaining the gift bag. Oliver nodded back and stood up. "Okay, um, before you open the last gift, I just wanted to say that your parents, Joannie, and I went in together on this. We really hope you'll like it…" Oliver finished and picked up the bag to hand over carefully to his best friend.

By the nervous glances being thrown her way Lilly had a feeling this was going to be an emotional present. A nervous shudder of air was released as she reached a shaky hand into the bag, taking out the tissue paper, and pulled out a black DVD case. This made her very curious and she turned it in her hands to read the label on the front.

_**~Birthday Wishes From the Past~**_

_**Love Oliver, Joannie, Mom, & Dad**_

Lilly glanced up. "What's this?" she hesitantly asked.

"Put it in, kiddo." Randall motioned towards the TV.

Deciding not to ask any more questions at the moment, Lilly rose and strolled over and placed the disc into their DVD player.

"Have a seat, sweetie," Heather insisted, patting the spot next to her on the couch.

"What's going on?" Lilly wondered.

"We know we couldn't get you what you really wanted so we thought this might be the next best thing," Randall answered. Seeing Lilly nod, he pressed the play button on the remote and squeezed Lilly's hand for comfort.

Lilly took a quick glance at Oliver and saw him holding Joannie's hand nervously. She sucked in some air and turned back to see a very much younger version of Oliver. They had to be at least twelve or so…

"_This is Oliver Oscar Oken and today is a day like no other," he started dramatically. "Today is Lilly Truscott's thirteenth birthday. I am here to document this day because we have a new friend this year!" Oliver smiled and turned the camera to show a thirteen-year-old Miley laughing at his antics._

All the air rushed out of Lilly's lungs at the very sight. Her eyes averted to her right and saw the Stewart clan clearly choked up at seeing Miley as well. She didn't keep her eyes away from the screen very long because any chance at seeing her Miley again was very important to her.

"_So, Miley, what do you have to say to the birthday girl?"_

_Miley, still smiling, fixed her hair and gently cleared her throat. "First off…happy birthday, Lilly! I know we haven't been friends very long but I'm glad we met and I'm glad to share your birthday with you."_

"_Aww…" Oliver cooed from behind the camera._

"_Shut up ya doughnut!" laughed Miley, charging at the camera._

"_And this concludes another film by the Triple 'O'!" Oliver rushed out while trying to keep the camera away from Miley's grasp. "Peace!" And just like that the screen went black._

Tears trickled down Lilly's cheeks and she could hear faint sniffling all around her. Right before she could comment on the video it suddenly started up again with the next year. Although, now it was just Miley wishing Lilly a happy birthday with the year labeled below on the screen. This continued throughout the rest of the video and being able to watch Miley progressively get older was heartwarming to everyone… Especially Robbie. The hardest one to see for Lilly was the footage taken just last year. It felt like everything around Lilly tuned out at that moment and all there was left in the world was she and Miley. Just like it should be.

"_Happy birthday, Lilly," Miley spoke lovingly. "I can't believe you're seventeen! We've been through so much over the years and you keep getting more and more beautiful as time goes on. I love you, sweetheart!" Miley finished off by blowing a kiss to the camera, smiled, and waved. Then, all too soon, she was gone._

The whole room remained silent, aside from the sounds of sniffling, and Lilly turned her head to bury her face into her father's chest.

Ruthie dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief. "That was absolutely beautiful, Oliver," she croaked out.

"Thank you," Oliver nearly whispered. He brought his focus back to Lilly who was now looking back at him with tearful blue eyes. "Come here." Oliver walked over and helped Lilly to her feet. Taking her hand, he led her into the nearby hallway where Lilly broke down, wrapping her arms around him with her face nudged into her neck. Oliver's heart broke. "I'm sorry…" he softly whispered to her, holding her tightly.

"D-Don't be…" Lilly managed to get out. "…I l-l-loved it… Th-Thank you so much…" A rush of staggered breathing was released as she continued to cry.

"We were worried it would've been too much for you." Oliver pulled Lilly back enough to be able to wipe away her tears. "I kept getting this feeling that hearing Miley say happy birthday to you would help somehow."

"I-It did." Lilly dried her eyes with the back of her hands. "I need her, Oliver…"

"I know." He wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "Let's get back to your party. I want an end cut to your cake." Oliver smiled cheekily, trying to lighten the mood.

"Wouldn't want you to miss that." Lilly finished dabbing at her eyes and looked up at her best male friend. "Do I look completely awful now?"

Oliver shook his head. "Never… Now come on, let's get back out there."

With Oliver's arm around her, Lilly followed as he led them back into the living room. Luckily everyone else was occupied with dessert and weren't waiting specifically for them to get back for it. Lilly gently broke free from Oliver so she could go stand next to her mother at the dining room table. To her surprise, though, she walked over just as her parents leaned in and shared a quick kiss and a warm smile. She hadn't seen them kiss in over a year.

Heather smiled sadly at her daughter. "You okay, sweetie?"

The way Randall had his arm around Heather's waist and the smile on both of their faces truly warmed Lilly's heart. They probably didn't realize this but seeing her parents acting like a couple again was one of the greatest gifts Lilly could have ever asked for. "Yeah… A lot better." She smiled. "Sorry I got all emotional."

"Hey, no need for apologizing," Randall commented. "How about you blow out these candles so we can have some of this delicious looking cake?"

"Sounds good, Dad." Lilly nodded.

While her mother lit the candles, Lilly took a good look around at everyone who was there. Just for her. It was _almost _perfect. Lilly was trying so hard to stay optimistic during her party and she knew it wouldn't last very long, but she was trying. That was what she promised Miley she would do… Try.

While everyone started singing happy birthday to her it was painfully obvious as to why this wasn't completely perfect. That one special angelic voice was missing in the small crowd of singers. Fighting back tears, Lilly blew out the candles. At the moment there was nothing worth wishing for. The one thing she wanted she would just have to wait for; no matter how much she didn't want to.

…

It was twenty after nine before Heather, Randall, and Lilly finished cleaning up the house. The party ran all evening and Lilly knew she'd be lying if she said she didn't have a somewhat good time. She was emotionally exhausted, though, and wanted to get some sleep.

"That certainly was a good turn out tonight," Heather commented to no one in particular.

"Definitely," replied Randall as he tied up the full garbage bag. "Hope you had a good time, Lilly."

Lilly tiredly looked at her father. "Yeah, it was pretty fun…"

"Good to hear." He smiled.

"Why don't you go on upstairs and get some rest, sweetie," Heather insisted and moved some hair away from her daughter's face. "You look a bit worn out."

"I will," the younger blonde assured. "I just want to do something first." Lilly leaned in to hug her Mom goodnight and then moved over to do the same to her Dad. Luckily nobody said a word as she grabbed the cupcakes Sarah had made for her from the counter, a single white candle, and a match.

Although he was curious, Randall decided not to ask about it. "Goodnight, kiddo."

"Goodnight." Lilly offered a small smile and then climbed the stairs up to her bedroom.

A sigh of relief let out of the blonde after closing her bedroom door behind her. A couple of seconds was spent leaning against it so she could try to compose herself before she did anything else. Lilly shook off her nerves and went to sit on the seat of her bay window. She looked up at the night sky. "…Just because I let myself enjoy today doesn't mean this wasn't the worst birthday ever," she said quietly with Miley in mind.

Focusing on the cupcakes now, Lilly took one out, stuck the white candle in the center of it and then carefully lit it with the match. Making sure the fire on the match was out she set the small object aside and brought the frosted pastry up to eye level. Some things in her life were picking up; her parents seemed to be doing so much better, Joannie and Oliver got back together, her grades were improving… Things should be good. But when Lilly really thought about things, she still wasn't happy. At all. Sure, she knew she would never be truly happy again, but the depression was taking over deeply. There was only one thing that could bring Lilly out of her own misery.

"I know I promised but I'm losing this fight, Miles… I'm in constant pain no matter what I do…" Lilly swallowed around the lump in her throat. "Please don't have it be forever before I get to see you again." Tears spilled from her eyes. "This is really what I want my birthday wish to be… I wish I could be with you…"

A puff of air blew out of Lilly's mouth; dying out the candle. Tears streamed out and Lilly hardly noticed that she dropped the cupcake back into the container as she cried. She didn't want to live with this anguish any longer. Her shattered heart was slowly killing her and Lilly just wanted it to end. _That's _what she wanted for her birthday…

…

"_And she picks up all the scattered pieces of her life  
She lifts up Marisol, Marisol, Marisol take flight  
She finds that all she needs is in her heart  
She lifts up Marisol, Marisol, Marisol take flight  
And all the world is hers tonight  
Marisol, it'll all be all right…"_

_**('Marisol' – Emily Osment)  
**_

* * *

**:( **

**I know it's sad, but as a fari warning, it'll stay being sad. Just so ya know. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please leave your thoughts, I love hearing (reading) them :)**


	19. Harlow's Song

**Another update! Are you proud :) This chapter is pretty long but it needed to be. I worked really hard to make sure this was how I wanted the chapter to go. Hopefully it isn't too choppy. Also, this chapter has been one I've been wanting to write for a loooooooong time now and it feels good to get it finished. Hope you like it. I would read over for mistakes but it's long and I have to leave town in like, half an hour, haha.**

**This month is going to be pretty busy for me but I will try to get the next chapter up again soon. I feel like I'm on a roll. Anyways, enjoy!**

Chapter 19 – Harlow's Song

_**May 6**_

Lilly sat, bored out of her mind, as the Principal finished up an "important" phone call. She was called in while in Science class so she didn't mind missing that, but she also didn't want to sit around doing nothing for so long. Her tired eyes followed the phone as the Principal hung up. Finally.

"Sorry about that," Mr. Crosley said apologetically. "I wasn't planning on that taking so long."

Mr. Crosley turned to find Lilly's files and she took that as an opportunity to roll her eyes. "It's okay," she replied with no enthusiasm.

Smiling, he turned back and set the blonde's file down on his desk. "Good. Now, I called you in here to tell you some good news." Mr. Crosley's smile grew even more when Lilly's eyes widened some. "Your homework has improved so much the past month and a half _and _if you continue to do as well as you're currently doing then you'll be able to graduate with a B average."

That was definitely something Lilly wasn't expecting to hear. "Seriously?" she asked with a hint of excitement in her voice.

"Seriously." He ginned. "I know this year has been rough on you but I'm proud that you picked things up here at school. I knew you could do it."

"Wow…" Lilly sat there for a while, letting the information sink in. "I can't believe I feel…well…_good _about this."

"You should. You've been working really hard. The tutoring seemed to do wonders for you."

"Guess so… Are you going to call my parents again?" she pondered.

"How about this," Mr. Crosley began as he started jotting down notes. "Instead of me calling them, how about you tell them the news by giving them this progress report?" He finished off by handing over the sheets of paper that stated her progress. "Your parents would probably love hearing this from you anyways."

"Can't wait to tell them." Lilly smiled. "Is that all you had to tell me?"

Mr. Crosley chuckled. "Yes, you may go back to class. Congratulations."

"Thank you." Still smiling, Lilly stood up to leave. She couldn't wait to see the looks on her parent's faces when she told them the great news. All she knew was that she wouldn't be able to hold in all day long. Lilly definitely had to tell Oliver at least.

…

During the following class period Oliver couldn't help but notice Lilly's uplifted mood. He wanted to know what was going on and took a quick glance at the clock behind him on the wall. There was less than ten minutes left of class. '_Ugh…'_

To Oliver's luck their teacher was busy writing on the chalkboard at the moment. He cautiously took out his cell phone from his pants pocket and slowly, so the key pad wouldn't make noise, wrote out a text to Lilly. After pressing the send button he anxiously looked over at the blonde. Seeing Lilly jump from the feeling of her phone vibrating made Oliver laugh to himself. She then turned to him, smiling, and mouthed _'Later'._

Oliver rolled his eyes in return. Guess he had to wait…

The bell finally rang several minutes later and all the students jumped from their seats to exit the classroom. Oliver on the other hand rushed over to his best friend. "All right, you. What's going on?"

"Pushy, pushy," Lilly teased and gave him a shove so they could go to their lockers. "I want to tell you and Joannie at the same time."

"Seriously?" He sighed and Lilly nodded. "Fine…" Oliver turned in circles, searching the hallway, until he finally spotted his girlfriend. "Joannie! Come here!" he hollered with a smile.

Joannie maneuvered her way through the crowd until she reached her boyfriend and Lilly. "What's up?" she asked as Oliver wrapped his arm around her waist.

"I want to tell you guys something," Lilly replied with a hint of excitement in her voice. "Principal Crosley told me that if I keep up my good work that I'll be able to graduate with a B average. But either way I'm actually going to get to graduate!" she beamed.

Joannie and Oliver's faces split into huge grins. "Oh my gosh, Lilly, that's amazing!" Oliver gushed as he pulled her into a group hug.

"Congratulations, Lilly," Joannie told the blonde with a growing smile.

"Thanks guys. I really didn't think this would happen," Lilly admitted as she broke the hug. "I get to be the one to tell my parents, too."

"I knew all that tutoring would help you out." Joannie smiled.

"We so need to celebrate," added Oliver. "How about the skate park? You still have that one day pass from your birthday, right?"

"Yeah… I haven't skateboarded in months…" Lilly sadly explained. "I haven't been able to get myself to do it."

"How about today after school?" Oliver asked hopefully. "It'd be great to skate with you again."

"I wish I could, Ollie." Lilly shrugged. "But I have to meet with my tutor today. How about tomorrow?"

Both Oliver and Joannie grinned. "Sounds great, Truscott," Joannie happily said and playfully punched the blonde's shoulder.

Lilly cringed by the force of the punch. "Yeah…I'll probably suck, though."

"Don't worry about it," Oliver said with a smile. "It'll be a fun day of sun and exercise."

"Hopefully…" Right then the bell rang and all three of them sighed. "Well, I'll see you guys in a while."

"Yup, see ya, Lils." Oliver waved and linked hands with Joannie so he could walk her to class. "Man, this is great! She's actually going skateboarding with us." He smiled and got a matching smile from his girlfriend.

"Maybe she really is trying to live a little more," she voiced.

"God I hope so…" With that happy idea in mind, Oliver kissed Joannie on the cheek and parted ways towards his own class. He couldn't wait to see a little bit of his old best friend again.

…

The day was relatively long and Lilly was glad when she walked through the front door of her house. She leaned up against the door and held the progress report up so she could read it again. A smile was on her face at the thought of telling her parents. Good news surly would lighten things up around here.

After dropping her backpack Lilly continued on towards the living room. Before she could announce her arrival, the young blonde walked in to see her parents standing by the couch holding onto each other. If it weren't for the happy looks on their faces she'd be concerned. Lilly slipped back quietly, not wanting to interrupt, and hid around the corner.

"I'm so glad we each took a personal day off from work," Heather dreamily spoke.

"Me too." Randall leaned in to kiss his wife. "We really needed it. And I mean really, _really _needed it." Both adults laughed at that. "It had been _way _too long, Heather."

"Sure has…" Giving him a suggestive smile, she leaned in for a long, deep, sensual kiss.

Lilly nearly gagged and mouthed the word '_Ew' _once she figured out what they were talking about. Deciding that she didn't want to wait around to see anything disgusting, Lilly popped out from her hiding place. "Mom, Dad?" she called out, playing dumb.

Randall and Heather broke apart, smiling. "Hey, Lilly. How was your day?"

"Pretty good, actually." Lilly sat down on the sofa, looked up at her parents, and held up the folded pieces of paper. "This is for you two."

"Are you having trouble with something?" her father asked as he took it from her.

"Nope." She smiled. "Just look at it."

With Heather looking over his shoulder, Randall unfolded the paper and the two spent some time reading things over when their eyes widened in surprise. "Oh, Lilly!" Heather gushed. "This is wonderful!"

"It's awesome!" Randall happily added. He then tugged Lilly up from the couch into a group hug. "We're very proud of you, Lilly."

Warmth filled Lilly's heart at these words. "Thank you…" She closed her eyes, smiling, and enjoyed the long lasting hug with her parents.

"Tell you what," he continued. "How about after you're done with your tutor session we all go out to celebrate? All these good grades need to be celebrated somehow."

"You mean, like…all three of us? Together?" Lilly skeptically asked.

"Yes," laughed Heather. "Now go get your homework ready. Mr. Brice should be here soon."

"Okay." Lilly kissed her parents on the cheek and then headed off to grab her backpack from the entrance way.

Heather squeezed Randall as their daughter exited the living room. "I can't believe she's doing so well already. She's really been working hard."

"Lilly's always been a smart girl. Maybe things are finally going to be all right."

"Let's hope so." Heather squeezed his hands. "I'm going to get a pot of coffee started. Want anything while I'm in the kitchen?"

Randall smiled warmly. "Just for this to be a good evening."

…

Zachary Brice looked over Lilly's work and smiled. The obvious improvement in the young girl's work made him feel proud. "Excellent work, Ms. Truscott. This keeps getting better every time I come over."

"Thank you," replied Lilly. "Homework has surprisingly been a nice distraction for me lately."

"I'd say that's a perfect kind of distraction. I'm very glad I could help you with it." Mr. Brice handed Lilly back her papers. "Now remember, this is the last official session, but if you still need help with anything in school I'm just a call away. Although, I do feel confident that you can handle things from here on your own."

"I'll try my best." Smiling, Lilly shook Mr. Brice's hand as they stood up from the kitchen table. "Thanks again for all the help. I know it was a lot…"

"No need to apologize; it is my job after all." Mr. Brice walked into the living room with Lilly right behind him. Randall and Heather got up from their seats when he approached. "Mr. and Mrs. Truscott, your daughter hardly needed my help on this visit. She's doing very well."

"All thanks to you," Heather replied with a full smile. "I'll go get my checkbook."

"You've helped us all so much," Randall added, shaking the man's hand.

Heather was quick to return with the check in hand. "We really do appreciate everything."

"Really, it's not a problem. I'd still like to check up on Lilly every now and then. She seems to be okay with the idea." He glanced over at said blonde and they shared a smile. "I'll see you all later then." Mr. Brice tucked the check into his jacket pocket and, after they all gave formal goodbyes, he left the house.

Without saying a word, Lilly walked up to her parents and wrapped her arms around both of them. The two adults immediately returned the gesture. "What's this for?" asked Randall.

"For getting me to do this," she replied softly, not breaking the embrace. "It kind of feels nice knowing I'll be graduating."

"And it's for that reason too that we're going out to celebrate right now," her father said. "Where would you like to go? We can do anything you want."

Lilly was still beyond thrilled at the fact that they were all going to do something as a family. She couldn't remember the last time they went out together. "Can we go out for burgers and go to the Pier afterwards?"

"Sounds like a plan."

"Sweet! I'll be right back… Gonna go put my stuff up in my room." Lilly jogged up the steps after grabbing her schoolwork and turned down the hallway towards her bedroom. Excitement filled her while she changed into a pair of shorts. It had been so long since they all did something together. She couldn't help but have that thought running through her mind over and over.

Lilly walked over to her closet once her shorts were on and pulled out the pair of sandals she had borrowed from Miley at the beginning of the year. Her eyes focused on her feet for several moments before she released a breath of air she didn't realize she had been holding. Lilly shook her head; she needed to stay happy tonight.

Turning quickly, Lilly went over to her nightstand and picked up the framed photo of she and Miley together on the first day of school that her mom had taken. She fought the tears that threatened to gather in her blue eyes. "I did this for you, ya know…" Pressing her lips to the photograph gently, Lilly sat it back down, grabbed her wallet, and left so she could have her family night she had been waiting for for so long. At least _this _was starting to get better for her. That much she had to be grateful for.

…

The cool breeze from the Pacific blew through Lilly's hair as she leaned over the railing on the Pier. Lights from various rides and game booths reflected off the waters in the night and she couldn't stop herself from admiring it. Her parents were currently at the booth closest to her. Randall was trying desperately to knock down milk bottles in hopes to win a prize. Tonight had been so close to perfect with her mother and father getting along so well. Her heart just ached for Miley to be there to enjoy it with her…

Sounds of laughter snapped Lilly out of her thoughts and she turned to see her father pumping his fists in the air in victory and her mother kissing his cheek. She smiled slightly at the very sight before looking back out into the darkness. Her parents were finally happy together; therefore Lilly felt she, too, should be happy. _'Easier said than done…' _she sadly thought to herself.

Randall quietly snuck up behind his daughter and slowly pushed the small stuffed panda bear next to Lilly's face. "Grrr…" he playfully growled.

Lilly chuckled and turned around. "You actually won, huh?"

"Sure did," he gloated. "I picked this because I know you love pandas."

"Aww, thanks, Dad." Lilly took the plush bear and hugged her father in thanks.

"Well this certainly had been a wonderful evening but it's almost nine," voiced Heather. "Perhaps we should head back home?"

"Sounds good to me," Lilly answered through a yawn. She had grown pretty tired earlier from all the emotions from the day catching up with her.

"Yeah, let's get you home, kiddo." Randall draped an arm across Lilly's shoulders and held Heather's hand with his free one. "You look pretty beat."

"I really am…" Lilly leaned her head against Randall's body as the three of them started walking towards where they parked the car.

Once they found their parking space, Randall opened the back door for Lilly so she could crawl in and he smiled at the fact that she was almost asleep already. He and Heather got into the front and began their journey home. "At least she had fun today," he whispered to his wife.

"I'm so happy that she did." Heather reached out to take her husband's hand. "Today turned out so perfect, Randy… I love you."

"I love you, too, babe," he responded and brought her hand up to place kisses along her knuckles.

In the back seat, a ghost of a smile shone on Lilly's lips. She forced herself to stay awake long enough to hear them share words of love to each other. Letting out one more yawn, Lilly finally let her heavy eyes close shut…

"Lilly? Lilly, sweetie… We're home."

Lilly groggily opened her eyes and tiredly rubbed them. She didn't even remember falling asleep. "Huh?" she mumbled out.

"We're home," Heather repeated with a warm smile.

"Come on, kiddo. Let's get you to bed," Randall suggested while helping Lilly out of the car.

"…Can I watch tv with you guys for a while?" the young blonde asked once they entered the house.

"Of course you can, sweetie. We'll watch some tv in our room, okay?" Lilly nodded. "Go on up and change into some pajamas and we'll see you in a little bit."

After Lilly disappeared up the stairs Randall wrapped his wife in a hug from behind. "She still wants to spend time with us… Isn't this great?"

"More than words can say," she happily spoke just above a whisper. "Let's go get ready for bed too before Lilly comes in." Smiling, they shared a quick kiss and then went on upstairs to change as well.

A little over ten minutes later Lilly had changed into comfier clothes. She wore Miley's purple sweatshirt, as usual, black cotton shorts, and pulled her hair up into a messy bun. Lilly picked up Miley's pillow, the picture she held earlier that day, and then headed over to her parents room. She would've just crashed right away on her own bed but she wanted to hang on to this good day for as long as she could.

When Lilly found herself at the door to her parent's room she was wise enough to knock first before entering. Hearing a faint 'come in', she opened the door.

"We made room," Randall announced while patting the space between them.

Lilly offered a smile, crawled up the bed, and then settled herself in. As if on instinct she cuddled up against her Dad, hiding the framed photo she brought with underneath her sweatshirt. She just needed it with her. "Thanks guys…" she nearly whispered as her eyes slid closed.

Randall rubbed Lilly's arm. "You're welcome…" Neither of them had to ask what their daughter meant by that gesture. Their hearts knew it was due to the fact that things were finally okay in their family. "Everything's going to be fine from now on, kiddo. We promise."

Heather huddled up with her daughter and draped her right arm across Lilly and Randall both. She kissed the top of Lilly's head and brought her focus to the television. It wasn't long at all before soft snoring came from Lilly, concluding that she had officially fallen asleep. She turned her head to smile at Randy. "Should we bring her to her room?"

Randall shook his head. "Nah… I think she wanted to stay here for the night. Besides, it is nice having you both here with me."

"Same here." In all honesty, Heather hadn't felt this happy in a long time. Her hand moved so she could pull the covers up more to cover Lilly when she felt something underneath her daughter's sweatshirt. "What the…" The blonde woman carefully reached for the object and her eyes grew sad at when she found. "Oh Randy… She keeps a picture of Miley with her at night… Look."

Randall took the photograph from his wife and smiled sadly at it. "I guess if it helps her sleep…" He sighed and placed the photo back into Lilly's possession. "She'll get thought this, Heather. She just has to…"

Placing her head against her daughter's, Heather let out a sigh of her own. "One day at a time."

Time ticked on and soon enough all three Truscott's were sound asleep in each other brace with the glow of the television light. Even if Lilly was still struggling with life, things with the three of them were fine. And that's what the two adults hung onto for hope of a better future for their daughter.

…

_Blackness surrounded Lilly and panic was quickly overflowing her senses. She tried calling out for help but to no avail. No sounds were heard and she couldn't see where she was. All Lilly knew was that she was crying. Reaching her arms out, Lilly felt around until she found a solid surface. It seemed to be a wall so she leaned her back against it and slumped to the floor. Knowing there was __**something **__behind her helped the blonde calm her nerves._

_Suddenly a bright light appeared from in front of her. Lilly squinted her eyes in an attempt to see clearly. The light dimmed down quite a bit after a short while and Lilly felt her heart skip a beat. "Miley!" she cried out._

_Miley remained silent, keeping her eyes locked with Lilly's. Lilly became concerned at the worried expression etched out across Miley's face. She tried to get up but something was preventing her from doing so. Tears sprung to her eyes at the realization that she could not get to her lover. "Miley! Help!" she cried out again._

_Tears leaked from Miley's eyes as well. Her lips moved but Lilly couldn't make out what she was trying to say. The brunette bowed her head as more tears pooled from her eyes before looking back over at Lilly. "I love you, Lilly…" she said clearly and then started to slowly walk backwards into the light._

_"No! Miley! Wait!" Lilly thrashed around so she could run after her, but it was too late. Blackness consumed her once again…_

…**.**

Randall bolted upwards at the sudden sound of Lilly crying out. Heather woke up at the same time and both of their parental instincts kicked in at full force. "Lilly? Lilly, wake up!"

Lilly's body stopped thrashing when her eyes sprang open. Heavy breathing was all she did until the memories of the nightmare sank in. A soft cry let out and she was instantly scooped up in her mother's arms. She clung tightly whilst she cried.

Heather noticed the clock on their dresser read 5:42 a.m. A worried sigh seeped from her throat. "Honey, it's okay. It was just a dream…" Lilly cried harder at this and Heather looked over at Randy in hopes that he knew what to say or do.

"We're right here, Lilly. It's okay," he whispered helplessly, scooting closer to comfort his daughter. Feeling her body rapidly shake broke his heart and he didn't have to think twice on what they should do. Lilly was in no shape to go to school, and theoretically she'd have to get up soon to get ready, but that wasn't going to happen. Not today. Lilly was staying home. Randall didn't care if he had to use up another personal day from work; he was going to stay as well to help make his daughter feel better. Whatever happened in that dream _really _upset her… He just hoped she would talk to him about it later. Closing his eyes, he placed his head against Heather's as Lilly cried…

…

"She hasn't answered any of my texts all day," Oliver huffed as he shoved books into his backpack. "Why isn't she answering?"

"Ollie, calm down," Joannie insisted. "I'm sure there's a perfectly reasonable explination as to why she didn't come to school today." The lost look in her boyfriend's eyes saddened the brunette. "Let's drop by her place to see what's up. Maybe she's still willing to go skateboarding with us."

"Well, let's not waste any time then. Let's go!" Nodding, the two lovebirds raced off to Oliver's car in the school's parking lot. Oliver had it running in no time and he drove off towards Lilly's house. He just hoped she was all right.

The Truscott home wasn't far from the school and Joannie was glad of this fact because she honestly didn't think Oliver would be able to stay calm much longer. She unbuckled her seatbelt once they pulled up in the driveway. "You really need to stop freaking out," she teased.

"I'm sorry," he said while getting out of the car. "She keeps having up and down moments so I just want to know that Lilly's okay." Oliver said no more as they walked up the front steps and knocked.

The door opened and Randall smiled when he saw who was there. "Hey guys, come on in," he offered happily.

Oliver rushed right in. "Is Lilly okay? She never replied to my messages."

"No worries, Oliver. Lilly's fine now. She's in the living room."

Taking Joannie's hand, Oliver lead the way until they spotted their friend sitting on the couch watching television. "Lilly, what's going on?" he spoke without warning. "Didn't you get any of my texts?"

Lilly jumped and turned. "Oliver, you scared the crap out of me."

"Explain!" he shouted with worry.

The blonde sighed and stood up. "Sorry, my phone died. I just…I didn't have a good morning. At all… So, I stayed home." Her eyes bore into Oliver's and his look softened.

"Are you feeling better?" Joannie asked.

"Yeah, a lot better… I had my phone upstairs all day. I'm so sorry I worried you," she said to Oliver.

"No, it's fine. As long as you're okay that's all that matters." Lilly and Oliver shared a quick hug. "I suppose you're not up for skateboarding anymore, huh?"

Lilly shifted from one foot to the other, pondering the thought. "Yeah, I'm still up for it. I wasn't sure if I was gonna be, but it sounds like fun." She smiled trying to encourage him that she was fine.

Oliver sighed in relief. "Awesome. Do you think you could tell me what happened later?"

"We'll see… Just, um, let me go get my stuff. I'll be right back." She turned quickly, hoping to avoid the subject for now, and bumped into her father. "Oh, Dad, I'm going to go skating with them, if that's okay."

Randall looked slightly concerned. "You sure you're up for that?"

"Dad…" She smiled. "I'm feeling a lot better now. I'll be okay."

"All right." He pulled her in for a hug; not wanting to let her go. "Just take it easy over there."

"I promise," Lilly said lightly, giving him an encouraging smile. Not wanting to keep her friends waiting, Lilly broke the hug, kissed her Dad's cheek, and ran up to her room to grab her skating gear. She was actually slightly excited to get to the park. She just hoped that she wouldn't crash on her board the whole time.

…

Getting to the skate park took longer than planned because Heather had returned home from work before the kids left. She gave Lilly a good lecture on being careful and finally sent her off with a hug. Since it was a nice day out the three friends skated to the park instead of driving there and Lilly found this to be good practice before getting on any of the ramps. She was definitely rusty.

It was odd, really, to be at this park. An odd vibe coursed through her and she couldn't quite place what it could be from.

Oliver kissed Joannie right before she dropped off into the bowl on her board. He turned back to Lilly with concerned eyes. "Hey, you okay?"

Lilly blinked. "Oh, yeah… I don't know…" She sighed. "It's kind of weird being here. Maybe I'll feel better once I actually start skating."

"Just promise me you won't push yourself too hard," he said as a warning.

"Geeze, I'm not going to be _that _bad," she laughed out. "You just go skate and stop worrying about me. I'll be over there warming up." Lilly pointed over towards the rails.

"Come join us when you're ready." Oliver smiled when Lilly gave him a thumbs up and went off to find his girlfriend.

Laughing inwardly to herself, Lilly dropped her old skateboard to the ground, hopped on, and pushed off to what everyone called the "easy zone." After all…she _did _promise to take it easy.

A couple hours went by and Oliver skidded to a stop so he could wipe off the sweat that was dripping into his eyes. Scanning the area he was able to spot Lilly sitting on a bench with her chin in her palms. A worried look crossed his face as he glided over so he could sit next to her. "What's wrong?" he asked in a concerned tone.

Lilly let out a sigh. "I'm not good at this anymore."

"Sure you are," he argued. "I saw you skating. Sure, you were a little rusty at first, but then things started picking up from there."

"Thanks." Lilly offered a small smile. "Maybe the half pipe will cheer me up."

"Yeah, you're always awesome on that thing. Do you want to come to Rico's with Joannie and I first?"

"Nah…" Lilly shook her head. "I'm not all that hungry. You guys go ahead."

"You sure?" he asked skeptically.

"Yes, go!" She laughed. "I'll be fine."

"Okay." Oliver leaned in to hug her. "You're not still thinking about that weird dream, are you?"

Lilly looked down to avoid eye contact. She had told Oliver about her strange dream about Miley earlier with hopes that he could help her figure out what it could have possibly meant. His logic was that she thought too much about wanting to be with Miley again. It made sense but there was just something about it that seemed off… "I can't help but think about it, Ollie."

"Please try to keep your mind off it? I hate seeing you so upset."

"I'll try." Giving Oliver another smile, she leaned in once again to give him a long hug. "Thanks for listening to me vent about the dream. It did help to talk about it."

Oliver closed his eyes and smiled. "Not a problem at all, Lilly. That's what I'm here for."

"Good," Lilly happily said and then pulled back to look at him. "I'm definitely going to need my best friend for a long, long time."

"I'll be around whenever you need me." Oliver looked over to see Joannie walking in their general direction. "We'll be back in a little while."

"Yeah, yeah… Just go and have fun together." Lilly pushed him to get him to move. "I'll be perfectly fine skating with the other guys."

"You better," he said while linking hands with Joannie.

"Glad you're having fun!" Joannie hollered, dragging Oliver along to get food.

With a smile still in place, Lilly rolled her eyes and skated off towards the main half pipe. A few of her old skateboard buddies were already over there along with some others she didn't recognize. This didn't bother her and she was just pleased to be outdoors doing things with people. "Hey guys," Lilly greeted.

Matt Marshall turned and a huge smile split his face. "Holy crap, you're actually here!"

"I have been for a while, you dip," she teased him.

"Sorry, I just got here a little bit ago." Matt picked up his board with one hand and tucked the other in his pocket. "I haven't really talked to you much at school… How have you been?"

"Not so good… I'm only living in the sense of the word mostly…"

Matt frowned. "Well, let's get you living for the sake of living again. We'll see if you can beat me in our little competition. We're seeing who can come up with the best tricks."

Lilly's eyes lit up. "You're _so _on!" Laughing, the two ran and quickly climbed up the side of the half pipe onto the platform where the others were waiting to skate.

…

All the guys watched in awe as Lilly tore up the pipe. She had, indeed, remembered all her best tricks and was definitely winning. Her lungs were on fire but she refused to stop. This energy came out of nowhere and she was going to use every single ounce of it just because she could. A few tricks later, though, her had had enough. Lilly flipped her board and landed with ease onto the platform. Everyone was cheering and patting her shoulders. "Thanks," she breathed out through deep intakes of breath.

"Dude, that was awesome!" Matt complemented. He then reached into his bag to grab his water bottle. "Have a drink."

Lilly wasted no time in doing just that. She tried very hard to control the urge to drink it all and gave it back to him. "That felt _so _good."

Matt smiled but then was pushed aside by one of the other skaters with them. His name was Tommy and Matt saw him around once in a while but didn't really know him all that well. Tommy stepped up to Lilly. "That was impressive… How about after my run I get you something at Rico's?" He gave her a charming smile.

"No," Lilly abruptly replied, glaring at the young man in front of her. "I'm in a serious relationship so just _don't._"

Tommy's eyes widened. "Okay, okay, sorry…" Not wanting to push the matter, he dropped his board and quickly rolled down the pipe.

"Damn… I'm sorry, Lilly," Matt sadly apologized.

The blonde held up a hand. "It's okay… Let's just forget about it, okay?" Once Matt gave her an affirmative nod, Lilly turned to rest her arms on the railing of the platform. She looked out at the park below her and let her mind wonder to Miley again. Her heart felt heavy and Lilly unclipped the strap of her helmet in an effort to cool off. This was the tallest half pipe at the park and she could see the whole place from atop.

Tears welled up as she glanced up at the sky. Lilly really wanted to know what her d ream meant. _If _it meant anything. The only thing she was certain of was how she felt in the dream was how she always felt every single day. Lilly truly felt trapped. It didn't matter that she was getting things in line again for herself. All she wanted was Miley…

A sudden bump to her back snapped Lilly out of her thoughts. Cocking her head to the side, she could see a few guys goofing around by pushing each other. "Do you mind?" Lilly snipped. When she got no response from any of them she turned back to look out at her surroundings. Although, it didn't take long for one of the guys to bump into her again. Right before Lilly could yell at them again, Tommy jumped up from his run to make a landing right into two of the boys; knocking into them pretty hard. The blonde haired guy in front of Lilly was forced backwards right into her and, not being able to stop what was happening, he bumped her with a great force, causing Lilly to loose her balance completely.

With horror, Matt watched as Lilly fell off from the front side of the half pipe and a scream of terror was heard before her back hit the edge of the pipe, which caused her helmet to fly off, and then a sickly cracking sound was heard once the side of her head came into contact with the concrete ground below. "Oh fuck!" Matt screamed while he quickly slid down the front. "Lilly!" Everything happened so fast that he wasn't prepared for what he saw once he got down next to her. Blood pooled by Lilly's head and what scared him the most was the fact that she wasn't moving. He frantically turned to the all the people around them; all whom had looks of shock on their faces. Someone call an ambulance!" he yelled. "Now!"

Matt shakily pulled out his cell phone but was cut short when he heard Oliver's voice through the crowd of people. He looked up right as he and Joannie pushed their way to the front of the crowd. Their eyes locked. "O-Oliver…"

A split second passed before Oliver saw what everyone had crowded around for. His stomach twisted in knots upon seeing his best friend lying lifelessly on the ground… Blood _everywhere_… "No…No! Lilly!" Oliver hardly acknowledged himself moving towards Lilly and he knelt down next to the injured blonde and frantically started shaking her. "Lilly, wake up! Please!" he shouted, tears streaming down his face. No response was given and he felt his heart stop. "Lilly…?"

Buzzing was all Oliver could hear aside from faint sounds of sirens off in the distance. He continued shaking Lilly, completely ignoring Joannie's pleads for him to stop, and dropped his head onto Lilly's shoulders. Oliver lost all self control of his emotions. He didn't know how any of this could have happened and prayed with everything in him that Lilly would be all right. He needed her in his life. Oliver couldn't loose her, too. He just simply couldn't…

...

_"I don't wanna live this life without you  
I don't wanna spend the night without you  
I don't wanna know what it's like  
I can't dream without you  
I can't dream without you..."_

_[ Harlow's Song (Can't Dream Without You) - Good Charlotte ]  
_

* * *

**Now it get's interesting...**

**Thanks for reading! Leave your thoughts!**


	20. Save You

**I suck. I truly do. I'm so sorry this took so long to get updated. Hopefully people out there are still reading this. Things have been crazy lately and I didn't really have a lot of time to write. But here it is. I'm at school now, waiting for a meeting to go to. So I thought I would post now. Thanks for everyone who reviewed the previous chapter and the story in general. It means a lot to me. This story is special to me cos I've been working so hard on it. So hopefully I'll hear from all of you again on this chapter :)**

Chapter 20 – Save You 

The waiting room at the Santa Monica UCLA Medical Center was buzzing with activity but those waiting to hear about Lilly Truscott paid no attention to anything around them. Lilly had been brought in over an hour ago, no on was quite sure on the exact time, and they were all nervous wrecks. Heather sat with tears streaming down her face while Randall continued to pace the area.

Oliver stared off into space, hands clasped together, and all he was fully aware of was the fact that he was shaking. Badly. He hadn't stopped shaking since he saw Lilly lying on the ground at the skate park. Tears burned his red eyes as he allowed a rush of air to escape.

"Ollie…" Joannie whispered, placing a hand on his forearm. "You haven't said anything since you talked to Lilly's parents… Please talk to me…"

He remained silent for several moments before responding in a quiet, broken voice. "This can't be happening…"

"Don't jump to any conclusions, Ollie. The doctors haven't told us anything yet." Joannie moved so she could look into her boyfriend's eyes. "I'm worried too but we can't let what happened to Miley effect our outlook on this."

"I can't help it." Oliver wiped his eyes. "She should've been with us and then none of this would have happened."

"She was having fun. Just because this happened doesn't mean you should beat yourself up over it. No matter what happens… Got it?"

Oliver shook his head, letting out a sob. "N-No… I was s-supposed to take care of her. I promised Miley…"

"Stop. It was an accident. We'll find out what's going on soon enough," she reasoned.

Nodding slowly, Oliver took Joannie's hand in his and simply waited.

Meanwhile, Randall crouched down in front of Heather and wiped away the fallen tears dampening her cheeks. "So…did we get all the paperwork done that they wanted?"

"Y-Yeah," she brokenly answered. "Why did this have to happen? I-It seems like it w-was just yesterday when we were waiting to hear about…about Miley…"

"Honey, things will be fine… I'm sure we'll hear from someone soon."

"We'd better…" Heather slouched in her seat, rubbing her forehead.

"I'll go see if I can find anything out." Randall then pushed himself up and headed towards the receptionist's desk. On his way there, Robbie Ray and Jackson came through the doors.

"Is everything okay?" Robbie rushed out in near panic.

"Don't know yet." He shrugged hopelessly. "Heather's over there in the waiting room. I'm going to try to find out what's going on."

Robbie swallowed and started leading Jackson towards the waiting room area. Being in a hospital was unnerving to the both of them. Upon entering, Jackson fled over to Joannie and Oliver while Robbie sat next to Heather. "What in the world is going on?" he asked with nothing but concern.

Heather's head dropped onto his shoulder. "All I've heard was that she fell from the top of the half pipe and split her head open…" A sob caught in her throat as she forced herself to continue. "Otherwise we're still waiting to see how she's doing."

"I'm so sorry, Heather," he responded with a hug. When they finally broke the embrace, Randall returned, followed by Lilly's doctor.

"Is everyone here for Lilly Truscott?" he asked. Seeing them all nod, he smiled. "Okay. Well, I'm Dr. Rosen and Lilly is in the process of finishing getting her stitches in."

"Is my baby okay?" Heather asked in a near sob while clinging to Randall's arm.

Dr. Rosen sighed. "We can't really say for now. Lilly was unconscious before the ambulance even picked her up and we won't know until after the surgery if she'll wake up any time soon or not. The impact of the hit was pretty severe…"

"W-Wait…" Randall stuttered, gripping onto Heather's hand in an instant. "What do you mean _if _she wakes up?"

"Unfortunately, like I said, the blow to the head was pretty severe. We're going to have to monitor Lilly very closely over the next twenty-four hours. The surgery shouldn't take very much longer, so hopefully I will be able to tell you more afterwards.

"Thank you, Doctor…" Heather brokenly responded, tears streaming down her face.

As Dr. Rosen walked back to his job, Randall shakily and slowly sat back down on a hard plastic chair.

"She has to be okay," Heather whispered next to him.

Randall wanted to agree, but fear was getting the best of him right now. His stomach churned and he knew it wouldn't settle at all until they heard how Lilly was doing. Even then he wasn't so sure.

…

Time ticked on slowly and everyone was at unease from memories of the night Miley had died. That had felt so long ago but, truthfully, it wasn't… It was still fresh in their minds. Jackson watched Lilly's parents carefully and it pained him to see them so worried. He didn't have to ask to know what their fears were.

At the doorway, Jackson spotted Matt Marshall and signaled him in. "Matt's here," he announced somberly.

Oliver's head whipped up. "Hey…"

"Hey." Matt gave a short wave and sat next to Oliver. "I would've been here sooner but I just had to be alone for a while after talking to the police and stuff…"

"I understand." Oliver watched as Matt settled into his seat. "…What happened exactly?" he hesitantly asked.

"Did she do it on purpose?" Heather asked through tears, staring at Matt with nothing but fear and concern.

"No, she didn't… I saw the whole thing." Matt took in a shaky breath. "Two guys were rough housing on the top of the pipe, accidentally bumped into her, and she lost her balance and fell off… It happened so fast, I couldn't stop it."

"Man, it wasn't your fault," Oliver replied around the lump in his throat.

Randall gave Matt a sympathetic look. "There was nothing you could've done. It was an accident."

Matt slowly shook his head. "They wouldn't listen to me. I kept telling them to knock it off."

Silence filled the room. They all understood why Matt would feel guilty, but it wasn't his fault. No one was blaming him for what happened. Even if Randall was mad at the two boys that were goofing off on the half pipe, he knew deep in his heart that it wasn't their fault either. Lilly was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Tears threatened to spill over and he tried his hardest to keep them at bay. He needed to be strong for his wife. That was his job for now.

"Lilly Truscott?" came the voice of Dr. Rosen.

All heads snapped up. "Dr. Rosen," Heather rushed out as she darted up from her seat; pulling Randall up with her. "Is Lilly okay?"

"May I speak to the two of you alone in the hall?" he asked carefully, trying not to alarm them too much.

Both of their hearts sunk at the look on his face. "Um, y-yeah…sure…" Taking Heather's hand in his, Randall led the way out in the hall after Dr. Rosen. Once the three of them were alone, both looked up on the doctor with fearful eyes. "Wh-What's going on?" Randall nearly whispered.

"Lilly's currently out of surgery but there's no sign of consciousness. If she doesn't wake up within twenty-four hours there's a high risk of her slipping into a coma… We'll have to keep a close eye on her. Unfortunately there's nothing else we can do. I'm sorry."

Heather's head spun with dizziness. "A-A coma…?"

"I can't say for sure but the impact she took was pretty serious. She ended up with seventy-two stitches with severe bruising. All we can do is wait it out."

Tears streamed down Randall's face while Heather buried her face into his neck, crying. "Um… C-Can we see her yet?"

"Absolutely. Before we go in, though, I should warn you that she also suffered from a fracture to her left leg and we put a brace on her neck to keep her spine from moving. There's no sign of fracture, but we want to make sure it doesn't happen. She's pretty banged up." Seeing them both sadly nod, he tucked his clipboard under his arm and gestured with his free hand for them to follow.

Neither of them were ready to see what kind of shape their daughter was in. When Dr. Rosen sopped at room 413 Randall and Heather both felt their hearts stop. "R-Randy…" Heather quietly stammered. All she got in response was a tight squeeze to the hand.

"It's okay," he whispered after he gathered his thoughts.

Dr. Rosen opened the door, silently telling them they could enter at any time. "I'll leave you two alone for now. I'll be out here if you need me."

Words failed Randall as he placed a comforting hand on Heather's back to help guide her into the room. Both were still shaking horribly, if not more than they were a few seconds earlier. There was no holding back once they laid their eyes on their injured daughter. "Oh no… No… Oh, Lilly…" Heather sobbed as she rushed to Lilly's side; taking her hand gently.

Seeing Lilly wrapped up in bandages and casts took a toll on Randall. Sure, he knew this was going to hurt, but he wasn't prepared for how _much _it hurt. "God…" He was frozen in place; hands dragging down his stubbled face. Without knowing where the strength came from, Randall found himself walking up next to Heather at Lilly's bedside. "Oh, kiddo…"

"Sweetie… Sweetheart, we're here." Heather cried. "Everything's going to be just fine." She gently ran her right hand through the tangles at the ends of Lilly's hair.

Randall copied his wife's actions but then carefully placed his hand to rest on Lilly's forehead. "You need to wake up, kiddo… We all want you to be okay."

Without letting go of Lilly, Heather's head turned to rest against Randall's stomach. She felt sick to her stomach and wanted more than anything to go back to earlier that day and find a way to keep Lilly at home. To keep her safe. "_Please _wake up…"

…

Warmth from the Spring day cooled to an evening chill. Robbie Ray stood on the hospital's outdoor balcony watching traffic flow as if nothing were wrong in the world. He nursed a warm cup of hot chocolate in his hands, letting out a defeated sigh. Everyone was still trying to heal from losing Miley seven months ago. Now things were looking bleak for Lilly.

Setting his coa-coa on the ledge, Robbie pulled his wallet out of his back pocket to flip it open so he could look at Miley's photo that was kept in the front slot of the photos. It was her eleventh grade school photo. A time he wished he could go back to.

"Hey, baby girl…" he softly spoke, running the pad of his thumb over her smiling face. "We could really use your strength right about now. I'm sure you know why… Lilly's not doing so great and, well…I hate admitting this to myself, but I have a really bad feeling about it. I can't figure out why." He momentarily closed his eyes at that. "Please guide Lilly to health. I know you've been watching out for her all this time and she needs that now more than ever now. We just need her to be okay…"

A subtle breeze rustled through his hair and tears brimmed his eyes. There was no doubt that Miley was watching out for Lilly right now. But this left him questioning what that would result to.

After slipping his wallet back into his back pocket, he looked back up at the darkening sky. He shivered involuntarily, crossing his arms over his chest, before finally heading back inside.

…

Seeing Mr. and Mrs. Truscott return to the waiting room nearly an hour later in tears struck fear in Oliver's heart. He had been a nervous wreck for several hours now. All he wanted was to know how Lilly was doing but, at the same time, he feared what they would say. Air quickly released from his lungs once he felt faint.

Heather brought the tissue she held in her hands up to her eyes and had it linger there for several moments; Randall keeping one arm around her waist for support. Finally, when she felt she was able to talk, she lowered her hands and looked at everyone in the room waiting to hear the news. She didn't know how long she and Randall were in the room with Lilly, but it was obviously long enough for Ruthie to show up. They exchanged sad half smiles before Heather finally spoke. "Um…" she croaked out, "Dr. Rosen said th-that there's a possibility that…that Lilly could s-slip into a-a coma…" More tears spilled out once she said the inevitable aloud.

Loud gasps rang out and Robbie instantly stood to go support his friends. Oliver, however, couldn't hear anything else after hearing the heart shattering news. He must have misunderstood…There was no way…

Joannie was soon in his arms and it wasn't until then that Oliver realized he was crying. "There's…There's gotta be a mistake…" he forced out desperately.

Randall shook his head. "They'll be monitoring her and if things go well throughout the night then there's hope and, if not, then…well…"

"So there's hope… Right?"

"Yeah." Randall sadly nodded. "Hope is all we have right now."

Oliver swiped at a tear trickling its way down his cheek. "Um… Can I go in and see her?"

"Sure, yeah… I'll go tell them to let you in." Getting the opportunity to be alone for a little while was a relief to Randall. He didn't think he could hold his tears back much longer so, as he walked away, he let them fall freely. It was on thing to cry in front of his wife, but around anyone else? He just couldn't do it. Not now anyways.

The time it took Mr. Truscott to get permission for Oliver to see Lilly felt like a lifetime for the brunette boy. By the time Randall returned, Oliver was shaking and breathing so hard he didn't know if he'd be able to stand.

"You're free to see her. They didn't mind at all," the sandy blonde-haired man stated.

"O-Okay…" Oliver stammered. His mind told him to stand but his body wouldn't respond. Somehow, Joannie sensed his troubles.

"I'll walk with you, Ollie…" She stood, extending her hand to help him stand. A small smile was shared once he took it and together they walked down the hallway to see their best friend.

Joannie had kept hold of Oliver throughout the walk. She could feel his body trembling and it tore at her heart. "It'll be all right, Oliver," she whispered gently to him, stopping in front of Lilly's room.

All he could do was nod. After a short moment he was able to respond. "I hope so… Um, do you mind if I go in alone for a moment?" Oliver knew his eyes were misted over when he locked them with Joannie's. He had to convey how much he needed to be alone with Lilly.

"Of course. Take all the time you need." Joannie reached out to place a comforting hand on her boyfriend's shoulder. "I'll be right here if or when you need me."

Nodding, Oliver simply hugged her and, with great difficulty, finally entered the hospital room that residenced his best friend.

Machines beeping kept the room from being eerily quiet but it still left him with an uneasy feeling. His hands shook while he walked closer towards the half closed privacy curtain. Shallow breathing settled upon him while his heart pounded against his ribcage. He paused for a brief moment before crossing over past the curtain to see what he feared most. The very sight of Lilly shattered everything inside of him…

Lilly had so many tubes hooked up to her that Oliver couldn't make sense of them. Not that he wanted to. He wanted to wake up and see that this wasn't real. "Lilly…" he whispered brokenly, extending his hand out to lightly trace over the cast that covered her left wrist. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he scanned his eyes over her. Bandages were wrapped tightly around her head and her hair, although wet, peeked out from the edges. Surly they had to shave around the wounded area, but he was pleased it wasn't _all _gone. Oliver knew Lilly well enough to know she would have hated that.

Tearing his eyes away, he glanced around until he found a chair next to the bed for him to rest on. It just dawned on him how badly his legs were shaking. He was now on Lilly's right side, next to the window. He hesitantly took her hand in his and studied her; trying to gather his thoughts.

"Hey, Lils," he began. "We're all really worried about you… You just…you _can't _slip into a coma, you hear me?" Oliver heard his voice crack and took a minute to keep himself together. "We need you to pull out of this. We need you to get better and come home…"

Lilly remained silent, just as he knew she would. Bowing his head, Oliver took in another shaky breath and spoke words he had wanted to say for far too long. This seemed like the only time to do so.

"Look, um… I've been trying so hard to help you deal with Miley being gone and…I know you just want to let go and be with her but here's the thing…" Oliver took that moment to look up so he could see her. "You mean so much more to me than I ever let on. I was so in love with you, Lilly… I never told you because I was really happy for you and Miley. I truly was. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm a hundred percent in love with Joannie. There's just always going to be something about you that'll keep you in my heart one way or the other… I'm sorry I never told you… Not like it would have mattered." He laughed dryly. "We're best friends and we're supposed to tell each other everything... I wasn't a good friend on that part. I'm so sorry… _Please _wake up so I can tell you how sorry I am… Just _please _wake up… I need you…"

Oliver's voice failed him and he dropped his head onto the bed, still keeping a firm grip on Lilly's hand. He shook as sobs took over and he felt so incredibly alone.

Out in the hallway, Joannie leaned up against the wall by the door, hand covering her mouth, while tears streamed down her face. Oliver's confession to Lilly was both heart-warming and heart-breaking. Honestly, it warmed her heart and soul to hear Oliver say, to someone else, that he was in love with her. Hearing that cancelled out all her fears of his true feelings for her. But it also confirmed that she was right about how he felt for Lilly. If she had heard this before any of this happened to Lilly, Joannie knew she'd be upset. Right now, though, none of that mattered… Oliver loved Joannie and needed her more than ever right now. And that was what Joannie was going to do. Be there for him.

Wiping her eyes, the brunette girl slid down to the floor and listened as her boyfriend's cries grew more noticeable. Joannie felt so helpless. How was she going to help him through this if things took a turn for the worst?

"…How?" she sadly whispered to herself before cranking her head up towards the ceiling, sending a silent prayer to one person she knew would help somehow. Even if she wasn't physically there to do so…

…

_**~ May 8, 2010 ~**_

Randall stood outside on the balcony of the hospital with a steaming cup of coffee in his hand as he watched the early morning light greeting a new day. He hadn't slept well. Anxiety for his daughter continuously grew throughout the night, leaving him both physically and mentally exhausted.

After taking his final sip, he went back inside. Heather had been sleeping when he went outside and perhaps by now she'd be awake. He was proven right upon walking into the waiting room. "Hey, hon," he greeted warmly.

"Hi," Heather groggily greeted in return, stretching in her seat.

Randall threw his foam cup away and sat next to his wife to give her a much needed neck rub. "Sorry they sent us out here earlier…"

She smiled sadly. "It's not your fault… They can do all the tests they want on Lilly if it'll keep her safe."

"Agreed…"

Heather closed her eyes, enjoying the neck rub her husband was giving her greatly. She couldn't have been any happier about the fact that things between them were okay. More than okay, actually. There was no way she could have dealt with this if they weren't. "I love you," she spoke with sincerity.

"Love you, too," he whispered into her ear right before placing a gentle kiss on her cheek. "Do you think we should wake up Oliver and Joannie and take them to get some breakfast?"

"Maybe later… I don't think Oliver got much sleep."

"Neither did I…"

"Randy?" Heather asked, shifting to look her husband in the eye. "Do you think Lilly will be okay?"

"I don't know, Heather. I really hope she will be," he spoke honestly.

"I'm so scared…" she continued. "She's wanted to _'go' _ever since Miley passed away, but…but…th-this can't be it, ya know?"

"Hey now," he said firmly, "nothing's happened yet. She still has a chance to wake up. Don't start thinking the worst."

"I can't help it, Randy," she choked out.

"Come on, let me get you a cup of coffee. It'll help you wake up a little."

Heather shook her head. "No, I want to be here in case something happens.

"You need to give yourself a little break. It's nice outside; we could go stand on the balcony together." Randall kept his eyes on hers and was happy when he saw her give in.

"Okay… I guess coffee sounds pretty good…"

Giving his wife an encouraging smile, Randall helped her to her feet, wrapped his arm around her waist, and started down the hallway. They weren't even halfway down the hall before panic overflowed their senses.

It all happened so quickly. Neither of them could make much sense of it all at first. Loud sounds filled the space around them; alarming. Urgency was heard in a Nurse's voice over the intercom, requesting immediate attention in room 413.

"…Lilly…"

Heather barely heard herself speak as she darted back down the hall with Randall right at her side. Doctors and Nurses buzzed by them, going on about their daily routine. Suddenly, she and Randall were stopped.

"Ma'am, you can't go in there right now," a nurse informed them.

"My daughter's in there! Something's happening!" the blonde shouted in hysterics.

"The Doctor's taking care of it. Please take a seat, Ma'am." The Nurse struggled with Heather, trying to calm the poor woman down.

Randall's hands were on her shoulders in an instant, calmly pulling her back against him. She was quick to turn in his arms, burying her face into his chest. As he rubbed soothing circles on her back, his blue eyes glanced up at the concerned Nurse still standing with them. "Do you have any idea what's going on?" His voice failed to hide his worry, but he wasn't too concerned with that at the moment.

"I'll be sure to have someone inform you as soon as they know."

"…Okay…" Randall watched, feeling defeated, as the dark haired Nurse walked off to continue doing her job. He was so lost in his own world that Randall didn't notice Oliver and Joannie approaching.

"What's going on?" the young man asked him, worry etched out all over his face.

"I…I don't know, Sport… No one's said anything yet…" He shook his head, not knowing what he could say to make him feel better. "Let's just all sit down. I'm sure we'll hear something soon…"

Feeling numb, Oliver did as Mr. Truscott suggested. He felt Joannie wrap her arms around his right one and turned to see her looking at him.

"Maybe it's just a machine glitch," she said. "Things like that seem to happen a lot."

Oliver simply nodded. There was nothing more he wanted than for his girlfriend to be right. Something in his gut told him differently, though. Something that threatened to swallow his heart whole.

Minutes felt like hours as time past. Heather was still crying nervously. Randall was bouncing his leg in anticipation, and Oliver clung to Joannie like his life depended on it. It wasn't until Dr. Rosen finally emerged into the waiting room that the four of them felt their spirits lift. When they saw the somber look on his face, though, their hopes deflated.

"May I speak to the two of you alone for a moment, please?" he asked, gesturing to Randall and Heather.

"What's wrong?" Heather blurted, nearly digging her nails into the skin of her husband's arm.

Dr. Rosen sadly smiled. "Let's talk in the hallway. Please, follow me."

Reluctantly, they both stood to follow him. As Randall passed Joannie and Oliver, he tried his best to give an encouraging smile.

Oliver's heart froze and the room suddenly became absolutely quiet. He strained his ears for any sound from outside the room and what he heard caused chills to run throughout his body. Heather was crying. Hard.

_'No, no, no…' _he repeated in his mind; unable to speak. Right as he got the nerve to stand, Randall re-entered the room, looking pale, and had obviously been crying as well.

Nobody said a word and Oliver feared he knew what had happened. His fears were confirmed when Randall quickly crossed the room and embraced Oliver in a tight hug. Then he spoke the words Oliver feared most.

"Sh-She…She slipped into a coma, Oliver…" Randall croaked out with difficulty.

Shaking, Oliver tightly closed his eyes, spilling out tears as he did so. He hadn't noticed Dr. Rosen guiding Heather over to the three of them and soon they were all hugging each other, letting out their anguish.

It was 7:34 in the morning. Lilly was in a coma….and something deep inside of Oliver told him that they weren't going to get her back…

…

"_Sometimes I wish I could save you,_

_and there's so many things that I want you to know._

_I won't give up til it's over_

_If it takes you forever, I want you to know…"_

_**('Save You' – Simple Plan)**_

* * *

:(

I hope the chapter/ending was good. I had some trouble on it, but I am fairly pleased with how it turned out. Thanks for reading, leave your thoughts, and I'll try to get things updated way more quickly from now on. I want to finish this story before new years. I never planned on this story taking so long to write, but I really don't want the last chapter to be posted in 2012. That would mean it took me 3 years...bleh. 2 is long enough, don't ya think?

Anyways, please leave your thoughts! Thanks for reading :)


	21. Love Remains

**Look! This story still exists! :D I apologize for taking forever and a day on updating this. If you have read my newest story, you would l had a very rough semester of school. But, I had been working on this in between homework and drama. I do hope you're all still interested in this story. I wanted this done a long time ago but obviously that didn't happen.**

**Also, I have decided to add another chapter to this story. This chapter was originally going to have more but it was going to be way too long. So I decided to use those ideas into a different chapter. So, updated information, there are now going to be 3 more chapters to this story instead of 2. The next one shouldn't take too long to do, so I hope hope hope I get this updated again fairly quickly.**

**Hope you enjoy! Even if this is a sad story!**

Chapter 21- Love Remains

_**~Two Months Later~ July 20**_

The past couple of months had been hard on everyone. Randall and Heather had pretty much been living at the hospital, not wanting to leave their daughter at all. Lilly had no signs of waking, so their worry grew more intense with each passing day. Their hopes, though, were still high. That would never change unless the inevitable were to actually happen.

Heather had wanted to bring in some of Lilly's personal items into her hospital room to make it feel more like home. She had a feeling that somehow Lilly would be able to sense this which would hopefully result to a better outcome. So, Heather took the photographs from Lilly's nightstand to set along the windowsill and took Miley's pillow just so it would be near Lilly. Heather knew her daughter couldn't sleep without it and was glad she brought it in. It had been two months since Lilly slipped into a coma. The very next day Heather brought in all of Lilly's favorite, most prized possessions.

Now Heather sat right next to Lilly, holding onto her hand, waiting for Randall to return from the restroom. The television was on but it brought no peace to the woman's mind. All she wanted was to hear the sound of Lilly's voice…

Randall walked back into the room and his heart sank, once again, at the lost expression on his wife's face while she looked down at their daughter. "Sweetheart, why don't you go walk around to stretch your legs? I'll stay with Lilly."

"I can't get myself to leave her," she replied in a broken near whisper. "It gets harder every single day that she doesn't wake up…"

"I know," he said, leaning down slightly to wrap his arms around her shoulders. "Oliver should be here soon. He got off work a little while ago. How about when he gets here, you and I go for a little walk? He always likes to spend time alone with her."

"Yeah… I suppose I could handle that," she reasoned, leaning into Randall's embrace.

"Good." Randall smiled and kissed the top of her head before fixing his eyes on Lilly.

"Good afternoon," Dr. Rosen spoke as he entered the room, interrupting both of their thoughts. "How are you two holding up today?"

"As best as we can," replied Randall with a shrug.

"Hopefully we'll be able to get you some decent news today after we run some tests later on," he said while checking over the machines with Lilly's nurse, Alice. "Despite the conditions, things seem to be looking okay so far."

"Is that good news?" asked Heather, keeping her grip on her husband's arms.

"Well… It's not _bad _news, but it's not great news either. We're doing all we can, though, so don't lose hope." Dr. Rosen then turned back to the nurse, quietly saying something to her. She nodded before briskly leaving the room. "Okay, so we'll bring Lilly in for testing in roughly two hours or so," he said to the Truscott's.

Heather sadly glanced at her daughter. "Okay… She can still have visitors until then, right?"

"Absolutely. I'll just let you know ahead of time when we'll take her in." Giving them a genuine smile, Dr. Rosen left the two of them alone with their daughter once again.

Feeling his phone vibrate in his pocket startled Randall but he was quick to get it out. "Ah, it's a text from Oliver."

"What'd he say?" Heather questioned.

"Apparently he got off work a little early. He said he's in the parking garage. Should be here shortly."

"Sounds good… I'm actually getting hungry," Heather spoke while placing a hand on her stomach.

"Excellent!" Randall smiled. "You need to eat."

"I know," she said with a small smile.

Randall lightly squeezed his wife's shoulder. He understood perfectly why it was hard for her to eat. The stress of this whole situation got to him as well, but he'd always force himself eat; otherwise he knew he never would.

Minutes later, Oliver stood outside Lilly's hospital room trying to control his emotions. Visiting Lilly was always difficult for him. Putting his feelings aside, he then quietly knocked on the door.

"Come in!" Heather answered.

"Hey guys," he greeted softly as he entered the room. "How's she doing today?"

"Well, we're not sure yet," answered Randall. "They're going to be doing tests on her today, so I guess we'll see."

Oliver swallowed hard. "Okay…"

Heather stood up, holding Randall's hand. "We're going to run over to the cafeteria for a bite to eat. Will you be okay here alone or do you want to come with?"

"Oh, no, I'll be fine here. I don't mind," he reassured.

"All right. Just call us if you need anything."

Oliver nodded and watched as the two adults quietly left the room, as if they were trying not to disturb Lilly. The look of exhaustion on their faces broke his heart but Oliver knew that he, too, had that same look. At least that's what Joannie kept telling him.

Letting out a short sigh, Oliver plopped down onto the chair Heather had been sitting in and looked down at the notebook he held in his hand. It was Lilly's notebook from Mr. Corelli's class… He had given it to Oliver right before graduation. Corelli said that Oliver could give it to Lilly's parents or wait to give it to Lilly herself when she recovered. Oliver knew he'd never forget the emotions that overpowered him at that simple statement. Blinking back tears, he then turned his attention to his best friend.

"Hey, Lil," he greeted quietly. "I, um…I brought you something… It's your project from Corelli's class. I…I would've brought it to you sooner, but…well, I don't know… I can assure you that I haven't read it. You'll be happy to know, though, that you got an A on the project. Corelli said your journal entries were very moving… From what teachers have said, you totally would've graduated. You worked so hard…"

Silence filled the room, just as Oliver expected it would. While he kept his tears at bay, he looked back down at the journal. "I hope there will be a time where you can show me what you wrote in here. I feel it would be disrespectful of me to read it without your permission. So, you see…you _have to _wake up, Lil… You have to…"

The tears that pricked at Oliver's eyes threatened to spill over as he looked at his motionless best friend. Taking a deep breath, he averted his eyes to the one, of many, photos that Lilly's parents had brought in from her bedroom. The one his attention was on right now was the photo he took on the last day he ever got to hang out with Miley before she died. They had been at Rico's, Lilly sitting on Miley's lap, kissing… He had snuck his way into taking the picture. What he loved most about it was that their love was so wonderfully displayed. Oliver didn't think any two people could love each other the way Miley and Lilly did.

"Miley…" Oliver whispered painfully. "I need some sort of sign… We _all _need a sign… This is driving us insane. Please, I know you're watching over her. Give us some sort of clue… _Please_…" His voice trailed off as tears spilled over and his grasp on the notebook tightened to the point where his knuckles started turning white. Soon, Oliver curled himself up on the chair, burying his head into his folded arms, and let the notebook fall from his grasp onto the floor. His heart painfully constricted with fear. Everything in his life would fall apart if he lost Lilly. She meant so much to him… With these thoughts in mind, Oliver's cries grew louder, wishing there was something he could do to make this nightmare disappear…

…

Hours went by and it was almost time for the doctors to run tests on Lilly. Randall leaned his right side against the wall, looking out the window from his daughter's hospital room. The streets were busy with people going on about their ordinary lives while he was in this building fearing for his daughter's health.

A sudden knock brought Randall out of his depressive thoughts and he turned to look over at the door. "Come in…"

Robbie Ray creaked the door open and slowly walked in. "Hey, Randall. How are ya holdin' up?"

"Okay I guess… It was nice of you to stop by." He offered a small, yet genuine, smile.

"Hey, I consider Lilly family still," he responded, returning a smile. "Plus I had something I wanted to drop by for her."

"Okay." Randall nodded. "I'll go find Heather and Oliver and give you some time with her."

"Thank you. I shouldn't be too long."

"Take your time." Sharing another smile, Randall made his way out of the room, giving Robbie a moment alone with Lilly.

Clutching the plastic bag in his hand, Robbie stepped closer to the bed that held the girl who became like another daughter to him years ago. His mind couldn't help but go back to when Miley was in the hospital… When he watched her pass away…

"I brought somethin' for ya, Lilly," he began softly. "Somethin' to help you through this somehow…" Robbie set the bag on the foot of the bed, reaching his hand in, and pulled out Miley's cherished childhood teddy bear, Beary. "It's…taken me a while to get myself to bring him here. Beary's been in my room since Miley past, but…I feel you could really use him right now."

As he placed Beary in Lilly's arms, hot tears gathered in his eyes. "I hope you know she's with you, Lilly. And I hope, somehow, you find peace…" Wiping his eyes, Robbie took out the second item he had brought from the bag; one of Miley's journals. "This was in Miley's nightstand… It was her last journal, I believe… Even though I'm not proud to admit this, but I needed to get a sense of her again, so…I read it… Miley wrote amazing things about you, Lilly. I know you won't be able to read it…yet…but I have this feelin' that you'll be able to feel the love written out on these pages." Giving his daughter's journal a light squeeze, Robbie leaned over to place it on the bed tray that stood next to the bed. "I hope you find the best path for you, Lilly…"

After sending a silent prayer, Robbie gave another look at Lilly and then left the room; leaving Beary tucked in Lilly's arms.

…

"Heather…? Sweetheart?" Randall's attempts to get his wife's attention went unnoticed. "Heather?" he asked again, stepping closer to where she was seated next on the hospital bed.

"Hmm?" she responded, slightly startled out of her thoughts.

"Why don't we go out for a while since Lilly's in for tests. It would do you some good to get out of here for a little while."

Heather's sad eyes continued staring down at the stuffed bear in her hands. "I don't want to leave. I want to be here the very second they're done with these tests… I _need _to know how she's doing…"

"Honey, we'll be back in time, I promise," he spoke assuringly. "Besides," he began, pointing at Beary, "Miley's keeping an eye on her."

Tears spilled down Heather's cheeks. "I miss Miley so much…and she made Lilly so happy…"

Randall kissed the crown of her head, understanding completely how she felt. "I miss her, too… Miley was a great girl."

"She sure was…" Turning her head, Heather glanced up at the clock hung up on the opposite side of the room. "Randy, it might not be too much longer. Who knows, maybe they'll finish earlier than they think… I-I can't leave…"

"Okay, okay, you don't have to," he soothed, wrapping his arms around her tightly as she started shaking. "I'll just call Oliver to tell him to go out to eat without us…" Feeling his wife nod against him, Randall pulled out his cell phone to call Oliver.

Downstairs in the main lobby, Oliver hung up his phone as Joannie exited the restroom. She gave him a curious look while a sigh escaped him. "Heather refuses to leave," he explained. "It'll just be the two of us going out to dinner."

"Darn." Joannie smirked, giving Oliver's hand a squeeze. "I'm not too surprised that she wants to stay, though."

"Neither am I…" he answered sadly. "Guess I was hoping that she would get out of here for a little while. The restaurant is just down the street."

"Yeah, she's stressing herself out too much. Even Mr. Truscott tries to get her out of there."

Oliver pressed the button for the crosswalk and then turned back to his girlfriend. "I think I would go mental if I stayed there that often."

Joannie leaned in to kiss him on the cheek. "You could be if I didn't constantly force you to do other things."

"Very true. Thank you, babe." After kiss her gently on the lips, the two lovebirds crossed the street and headed on to their desired destination.

…

Oliver pushed his plate away to make room for writing out the tip and total on the bill. He and Joannie had a wonderful time together and shared a shrimp and pasta dish at Red Lobster and were comfortably full. For Oliver, it was amazing to be here with Joannie. She had been keeping him strong for the last couple of months. In fact, he was sure that he was falling even more in love with her; which he didn't think was possible. But it was, it really, truly, was.

"This was amazing," he said, setting the bill on the edge of the table for the waiter to pick up.

"It sure was." Joannie extended her arms and wiggled her fingers to signal Oliver to hold them, which he happily did. "You doing okay today?"

"Yeah, I guess," he sighed out. "Just pretty nervous…"

"Me too," she hesitantly admitted.

Oliver nodded, thinking back to his blonde-haired best friend. They both sat there in silence, holding hands, as their minds wandered. Suddenly, Oliver's phone started vibrating in his pocket and he was quick to take it out. "It's Randy…" he announced. As Joannie gave him a concerned look, he answered. "Hello?"

"Oliver, it's me," Randall shakily spoke. "They're done with Lilly's tests… We're waiting for you two to get back before we let them give us the news…"

Oliver swallowed hard. "O-Okay… We'll be there as quickly as we can… Yeah… Bye…" He then hung up and, before Joannie had a chance to say anything, Oliver stood up. "We gotta go… They're waiting on us to hear about Lilly."

Joannie's eyes widened and with no other words, the two darted out of the restaurant. They were finally going to know Lilly's up-to-date condition.

…

Randall paced nervously as he and Heather waited for Oliver and Joannie to get back. Movement from the corner of his eye caught Randall's attention and he was glad to see Oliver rush in with Joannie right behind him. "Thank God," he sighed. "I'll go get Dr. Rosen."

As Randall rushed off, Oliver went over to Heather with a worried, panicked look in his eyes. "What's going on? Do you think its good news?"

"I-I don't know…" she replied, nervously biting at her fingernails. "We were waiting for you…"

"Everybody here?" asked Dr. Rosen as he and Randall entered the waiting room, interrupting further conversation.

"Yes… Yes, we're all here," Heather answered apprehensively.

"Okay," he sighed, crossing his hands together. "I wish I could bring you good news, but…according to Lilly's tests, her brain activity has not improved. There's still signs of significant damage and, at this rate, when or if Lilly wakes up, she'll have a ninety-seven percent chance of suffering from long-term memory loss. There's nothing we can do at this point…"

"A-Are you saying she'll have amnesia?" Randall asked in disbelief; voice hoarse with fear.

"I'm afraid so… But, we'll only know for sure if she wakes up from this coma."

Heather, who was now in tears, took in a shaky breath. "Is th-there any way of knowing wh-when that'll be…?"

"Unfortunately, no…" Seeing the looks on everyone's faces broke Dr. Rosen's heart. He hated this part of his job. "I'll leave you all to discuss this together. I'll come back to give you more information on coping with memory loss."

"Can we…um…see her?" Oliver asked, trying to sound brave.

"Lilly should be back in her room shortly. I'll be sure to let you all know."

Randall nodded, holding is wife close to him as she cried. Everything in his life was in a stand still at the moment and he didn't know what to do…what to say…or what to feel… His baby girl had very slim chances of ever remembering anything in her life. _If _she even woke up…

"Wh-What are we going to do…?" Heather asked through sobs.

"I don't know, huh," he whispered, burying his face into her hair. "I…I just don't know…"

Meanwhile, Oliver stood still in shock, trying to let all the information sink in. His throat quickly began to tighten and tears welled up before spilling over.

"Oh, Oliver…" Joannie moved so she could embrace him. Hearing him cry harder into her hair was all it took for her to lose control of her own emotions. Squeezing her eyes tightly shut, she and Oliver held each other closely as pain coursed through them both.

Just as he said he would, Dr. Rosen returned, holding several pamphlets, and paused in the doorway. "Whenever you're all ready, they're just finishing up getting Lilly settled in."

The only response Randall could give was a nod and, using all his strength, supported Heather and signaled for Oliver and Joannie to follow. He was more than anxious to see his little girl after hearing the devastating news that turned their whole world upside down.

Dr. Rosen paused outside the room, turning to Lilly's family and friends. "I'll go in to make sure they got everything set up properly. Shouldn't be long at all, just give me a few seconds."

"Thank you…" Heather tearfully whispered.

After Lilly's doctor slipped into the room, Randall took the opportunity to glance at Oliver. Seeing the broken, far off look in his eyes tugged at Randall's heart and, without saying a word, wrapped the boy in a hug. Within seconds Oliver was shaking, resulting in a tighter grip. Oliver was always like a son to him, so Randall's fatherly instincts kicked in to comfort the young man as best as he could. Plus he knew how important Lilly was to him. The poor boy already lost one best friend and now, in a way, he lost another…

The sound of a door closing caught his attention again and Randall looked over to see Dr. Rosen standing in front of them; handing Heather a pamphlet. "Lilly's all settled in," he explained. "These pamphlets give information on coping with a loved one suffering from memory loss and comas and _these_ are for the patient on coping with memory loss."

"Thank you, Doctor," Randall said scratchily.

He nodded. "I'll leave you all alone with Lilly now. If you need anything, just buzz for me," he informed as he opened the door for them.

Without a sound, everyone stepped into the room. A quiet sob sounded from Heather upon seeing her baby girl lying on the bed; hooked up all of those machines again. Still hooked up to…_life support_… Taking Randall's hand, she led the way to the side of the bed and tearfully ran her free hand through Lilly's tousled blonde hair. "Oh sweetheart… My Lilly…"

Randall, without hesitation, wrapped his arms around Heather; resting his cheek on the side of her head. "We'll get through this, Heather… I promise we'll get through this together…"

Heather's hand found Lilly's and her emotions rose to the point where it was unbearable. She turned in Randall's arms, gripping their daughter's hand, and buried her face into his chest. Heather knew there was no way she could have gone through any of this without him and she knew with all her heart that he wasn't going anywhere.

Cranking her head to the side, Heather saw Beary sitting on a chair next to her. She stretched her hand out to grasp him and with a broken heart set him back down into Lilly's arm, right where he belonged. Miley's love was held in that bear and that's what they all needed right now. Crying harder now, she returned to her previous position in her husband's embrace.

Holding Joannie's hand, Oliver backed up against the wall, watching as two very important people in his life break down. Joannie's head was soon on his shoulder, arms wrapped securely around his right one, and that was enough for him to know he didn't have to act strong anymore. At least not right now. The fact that Lilly wouldn't know who they were when or if she woke up destroyed Oliver's heart. It seemed so surreal…

But the one thing Oliver could not accept was that Lilly wouldn't remember Miley. Feeling his knees give out, he slid to the floor, tears pooling out of his eyes as Lilly's words echoed in his mind…

_"I don't ever want to forget Miley, and…I don't want to be happy without her…"_

If Lilly did wake up, she couldn't know Miley…the love of her life. Oliver shook his head; face buried in his hands. Joannie was once again comforting him, but this time it did no good. Who would Lilly Truscott be without Miley in her heart? A stranger.

A fact that everybody in the room was thinking…

…

"_I don't know, baby what I'd do  
On this Earth, without you  
We all live, and we all die  
But the end is not good-bye  
The sun comes up, and seasons change  
And through it all, Love remains…"_

_**('Love Remains' ~ Collin Raye)**_

* * *

**Yeah... :( Poor Lilly**

**Like I said, even though this is sad stuff, I hope you're all still enjoying this story. I have big things coming up in these final chapters and hope you stick around to read them. Thanks for reading! I would really love to hear your thoughts since it's been a while! R&R**


End file.
